The Astros have a first-round pick again and Baseball America's second mock draft has them taking Alabama LHP Connor Prielipp 28th overall. The first mock had them going with Arkansas RHP Peyton Pallette.
Off-the-cuff mock/wishlist Astros draft: (1) 28. OF Jordan Beck, Tennessee (alternatives: HS SS Jett Williams) (2) 64. SS Carter Young, Vanderbilt (alternative: College RHP Jonathan Cannon) (C) 80. SS Ryan Ritter, Kentucky (HS P Nazier Mule, College SS Jordan Sprinkle, College 1B Luke Gold) (3) 103. LHP Michael Kennedy, Troy (College C Hayden Dunhurst) (4) 133. 1B Ivan Melendez, Texas (HS RHP Pierce George) (5) 166. 2B Chandler Simpson, Georgia Tech (College C Silas Ardoin, College 1B Ethan Long, College LHP Noah Dean, College RHP Brandon Birdsell) Rounds 6+: Jakob Marsee, CMU; SS Trey Faltine, Texas; LHP Pete Hansen, Texas; IF Teddy Burton, Michigan; JC SS Alex Ulloa; 3B Mac Horvath, UNC
Click's first real draft. The pandemic and the penalties have basically shutdown his American talent pipeline these first 2 years.
1/1/22 Rule 4 draft predictions 1 Connor Prielipp Alabama LHP 2 Chase Shores TX HS RHP 3 Jace Grady Dallas Baptist OF I made these predictions before I was certain we would get a compensatory pick after the 2nd round. First time my early prediction was in agreement with any major mock draft. Pats self on back.
I remember wanting Simpson when he was draft eligible out of HS. Ulloa was one of our picks last year who ended up not signing. Will be interesting to see how much Click values LHP, Luhnow did not seem to get that many in the draft. He drafted 5 or more RHP for every LHP. Maybe a coincidence but still a pattern I noticed. I really like Prielipp in the first round.
MLB draft is the most BPA draft in the world. Every team has a different list of players, so just draft the highest one. All the work goes in by the scouts and cross checkers and all that well before the draft.
It would be nice to add some young players. We may have the oldest list of top prospects in the league (The draft penalties are certainly part of that). I'd prefer HS Bat or College Pitcher all things equal, but I'll probably be optimistic about anybody. Kumar Rocker is probably the most intriguing prospect we may have a chance at, but too big of a risk right now. Catcher is the only position I think you might not have much need for in the 1st round (but we certainly need to add depth there).
A college OF like Jordan Beck, Jud Fabian, or Dylan Beavers seems to fit Houston’s MO. Would be interesting to see if they pull the trigger on Rocker if he’s still there at 27.
I don't usually pay too much attention on MLB prospects after the 1st ten or so guys. When @htownbball said he wanted the big right hander from Gonzaga, I thought this was a joke about Chet Holmgren being tall. After reading this mock, there really is a RHP from Gonzaga that may be drafted around where the Astros draft.
BlindHog top 5 Astros picks. Round 1 Connor Prielipp LHP Alabama Round 2 Jake Bennett LHP Oklahoma Round 2C Ike Irish Catcher MI HS Round 3 Chase Shores RHP TX HS Round 4 Nicolas Perez SS PR HS Round 5 Jace Grady OF Dallas Baptist Floating between 4 and 5 is Brandon Birdsell, RHP at Texas Tech. If he should fall to the Astros at 5 (possible) he would make for a tough choice there.
A lot of intriguing local talent that should be good value in the 4-8 round range. Texas has several guys I would like in those rounds: Melendez, Hansen, Faltine, Ardoin (although I suspect Hansen and Melendez will go earlier than that). I wouldn’t mind the Astros drafting Mehringer, Stevens, Stehly, Kennedy, or Hodo in the later rounds either, or Todd as a UDFA. Longhorns are STACKED offensively this year.
Melendez and Ardoin are players to look at some point in the 3-6th rounds. Not sure about our pitchers yet.
Luhnow clearly did not value LHP very much, but we'll see if Click is different. Tampa has drafted a fair number. This will be the first time we get to see what kind of a drafter Click is as a GM as he finally has a pick in the 1st and 2nd.
