Upper level outfielders and then basically all college arms. Well we know how the feel about the arms in their middle levels.
The pitching in Asheville and Fayetteville has been pretty bad so maybe this is a reaction to that. The bullpen in Corpus hasn’t been much better. But also 4 of todays picks have been Seniors so I’m wondering if Melton or Gilbert is barking about needing an overslot deal. Unless maybe they’re planning on grabbing a HS early tomorrow.
Nothing but college outfielders, Spinny pitchers, and the obligatory catcher. A 'Stros draft if there ever was one.
Being short doesn't bother me in baseball. This cat plays with a positive, never die attitude that's infectious. In all the draft there's probably 4-7 guys that can make it to the Show and have that quality. I felt like Springer had that quality here when the Astros were a 100 loss team. Guys loved playing with Springer.
This group (under Click) supposedly isn’t as concerned about playing the money game and will not take seniors just because they are seniors. My guess is that they don’t like the pitching in the middle minors and in a year or two hope some of these guys are big leaguers. The outfield selection isn’t a big surprise, they knew the best college outfielders (outside of 1-2) would be available and they took two relatively polished guys that can possibly be plus starters. There are some interesting international position players we have over the last few years but not as many pitchers in the lower levels.
Not just a catcher, but a weird catcher… we went with the midget catchers before, then the catchers that couldn’t hit but had a strong arm… and now a 6”6” catcher… I’m guessing next year we go with an albino catcher or a color blind one.
The past 3 drafts combined the Astros only selected 5 pitchers in the top 200, so it's pretty natural the pitching would be on the thin side.
SI: College Pitchers Dominate Houston Astros' Second Day Picks of MLB Draft The Houston Astros kept the college selections alive entering the second day of the 2022 MLB Draft, selecting three collegiate arms in a row. To open the second day, the Astros picked right-handed pitcher Michael Knorr out of Coastal Carolina with the 103rd pick in the third round. Knorr throws a 94-96 mph fastball that touches 98 mph with an above-average changeup as his second-best pitch. A whiff generator, the righty switched to a shorter arm motion and struck out 86 batters in 69 innings in 2022. “(Knorr’s) work ethic comes second to none," said Astros' prospect Jimmy Endersby who was Knorr's teammate at Cal State Fullerton. "I’m proud on what he has accomplished. Nicest kid off the field but a bulldog on the mound.” With their fourth-round pick, the Astros selected lefty Trey Dombroski from Monmouth with the 133rd pick. Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline said on the broadcast Dombroski has the best command of any pitcher in the Draft. Dombroski struck out 120 batters over 95 innings in 2021 for Monmouth, issuing only 14 walks in the same span. The 6'5" lefty pitched in the Cape Cod League for the Harwich Mariners in 2021 where he sported a 0.85 ERA with 45 strikeouts and two walks over 31 2/3 innings. For a third-straight pick Monday, the Astros took a college pitcher with right-hander Nolan DeVos in the fifth round. The 163rd pick was described as a "TrackMan darling" by Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline on the broadcast. DeVos possesses a sweeping slider and a fastball that sits low 90s. The Astros started to show a trend of strikeout-pitcher selections with DeVos punching out 106 batters in 78 2/3 innings at Davidson in 2022. Callis noted the bullpen would be in the righty's future. The Astros dropped the pitcher selections for the sixth round, taking catcher Collin Price with the 193rd pick. The 6'6" righty draws more walks (52) than strikeouts (34) similar to Houston's first-round selection Drew Gilbert. Price is an excellent framer with strong power at the plate with 18 home runs and a .626 slugging percentage at Mercer in 2022. His size could extend him to first base with the system's "position addition." Selecting righty A.J. Blubaugh with the 223rd pick, Houston returned to college pitching selections in the seventh round. Blubaugh throws low 80s on his changeup and slider with a fastball that can tough 96 mph, while Callis described Blubaugh as a strike thrower on the broadcast. At Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Blubaugh posted a 3.25 ERA as a starter, but as a reliever in the 2022 Cape Cod League for the Orleans Firebirds, the righty punched out 13 batters over 9 1/3 innings without allowing a run. In the eighth round, the Astros selected Kentucky closer Tyler Guilfoil with the 253rd pick. The righty touches 95 mph on his fastball which generates more swing and miss with his lower release point. Guilfoil struck out 80 batters over 51 innings in 2022. Another collegiate pitcher joined the list in the ninth round as the Astros selected right-hander Brett Gillis with the 283rd pick. The Portland product was named a second-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball News following a 2022 campaign with a 2.24 ERA and 115 strikeouts over 84 1/3 innings. Houston wrapped up the second day of the Draft with its third outfield selection through 10 rounds. The Astros took Zach Cole from Ball State with the 313th pick — a lefty hitter with improved tools and superb athleticism. Cole slashed .361/.449/.727 with 13 home runs and 47 RBI at Ball State in 2022. He was also teammates with Single-A Fayetteville pitcher Chayce McDermott — Houston's 2021 compensational pick for losing George Springer in free agency. Through 11 rounds, the Astros selected only collegiate players — seven pitchers, three outfielders and a catcher. Rounds 11-20 commence at 1 p.m. Tuesday, broadcasted on MLB.com.
Can’t say I’m overly excited about their picks today, but even for as much time as I spend on this stuff I am still pretty ignorant about pitching prospects and I trust the front office (although their pitching picks from Clicks first 2 drafts haven’t been all that great so far). I do like Collin Price in the 6th. He could be a cross between David Hensley and a rhh Mike Papierski (not too many comps for a 6’6” catching prospect). I expect tomorrow to be a mix of high risk college arms (guys coming off TJ, guys with velo who lack control, small school guys) and 1 tool college position players. In terms of roster filler I think they need at least 2 infielders (2B/SS/3B) early tomorrow.
I find it crazy how everyone is touch 95 on velocity these days. I remember Roy O working with 91-92 and it being enough, wonder how he’d do in this era.
Oswalt could hit 95-97 but he dialed it back, a lot of pitchers did back then. You were supposed to go 7 innings, 35 times a year if you were a good starter. Pitch to contact if you had to. Nowadays they would just tell him to keep airing it out and get K's. Teams realized the extra innings weren't worth not giving max stuff.
I know he is committed to transfer to LSU but I hope draft Carter Young and get him to sign with the organization. He was touted as a possible first round pick before the season started, and while he had a bad year at the plate he's supposedly a plus defender at SS. And a switch hitter. Good guy to have in your system.
I think that also has to play at least some role in the huge spike in injuries and Tommy John Surgeries these days. Not everyone is built to throw 97+ but these days, high velocity is so sought after, everybody tries to empty out every last mile in their heater they possibly can.
I love this pick. I just watched his Zoom interview with local media. The kid is CONFIDENT and I like it. When asked what MLer he compares himself to he said "no one". "I'd be doing myself a diservice." We're going to be hated for a looooooong time and I'm good with it.
Exactly. Read an article in the last year that said 10-20 years ago starting pitchers used to sit/average 4 mph below their max velocity on their fastball. Helped them go deeper into games. Now starting pitchers sit/average 2mph below their max fastball velocity. We're in the grip it and rip it era.
Makes sense, I don’t doubt if he had the resources of this era he would make the adjustment. More so wondering how his stuff would play if he hypothetically pitched the same way he did in 2022.
