The 2022 MLB Draft takes place from July 17-19 in Los Angeles, beginning at 6 p.m. CT on July 17 with the first 80 picks. Astros amateur scouting director Kris Gross chatted with MLB.com about Houston's Draft prep. MLB.com: The Astros have their first- and second-round picks back for the Draft this year after losing them the previous two years as punishment for the sign-stealing scandal. What's the significance of getting those high picks, and how are you going to be able to utilize those? Gross: Obviously, we're excited by that. The player pool is a little different, picking back in the first round. You still have to be able to pick and get the right guy, but we're optimistic with the players in the Draft this year that we can find us a good one there at pick 28. |
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First pick and bonus slot: No. 28 ($2,620,400 million)
Additional first-day picks: No. 64 ($1,103,600 million) and No. 80 ($806,800)
Total bonus pool: $6,837,000 [more]
Last three first picks: OF Tyler Whitaker (87th overall, 2021), RHP Alex Santos (72nd overall, 2020), C Korey Lee (32nd overall, 2019)
Best pick of the last 10 years, per MLB Pipeline: SS Carlos Correa (No. 1 overall, 2012) [more] |
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MLB.com: This was the second year of MLB's Scouting Combine, and you attended it last month in San Diego along with several members of the player development staff and medical staff. How beneficial was it? Gross: Having it in San Diego is never a bad idea. I'm not sure if that is a main driver, but the player attendance was much better this year. I think there was close to 150 to 200 kids, so we utilized that. A big part of that was getting to meet some of the kids we had more interest in, so sitting down and having discussions with them for 25, 30 minutes and getting to know them. Our medical team, Dr. [David] Lintner, a few others, were also present, going through the physicals and getting the medical data for that is always beneficial. The athletic testing MLB put on was nice. We got to see some players that we might not have had a ton of looks on during the spring participate in the on-field sessions, too. It's pretty well-rounded, and we had enough personnel to cover everything. MLB.com: What do you categorize the strengths of this year's Draft are going to be? Gross: The 2022 Draft, I think the strength is definitely with the bats, whether it be high school or college. There's solid depth with the bats this year. Pitchers might be a little on the thin side, but having said that, I do think there's a couple of good ones to be had. Whenever the opportunity arises, we'll be looking to capitalize, whether it be a hitter or a pitcher. MLB.com: How did not having a first- or second-round pick the past two years set back the organization in terms of overall player development? Gross: It definitely posed a challenge, but having said that, we've had success in the later rounds previous years of finding some diamonds in the rough. I think our scouts took the challenge the last two years. The COVID Draft (2020) was obviously a little difficult, only having five rounds, but the non-drafted free agents we signed out of there are doing well. Last year, we had a couple of guys -- [right-handed pitcher Adrian] Chaidez is up in Double-A [Corpus Christi] already -- so a couple of guys were good in the later rounds. As the years progress, I think we'll see some notable guys coming from previous Drafts where we didn't have those picks, but it will be great to be back picking up near the top again, for sure. |
DUSTY QUOTE OF THE DAY "I was looking at that list, and whew, they've got some bad boys on that list. I feel it's an honor to be managing, and we're on the same side, if for one day." -- Astros manager Dusty Baker on Sunday, when the AL All-Star team roster was revealed. |
ON THE FARM • Right-hander Forrest Whitley, Houston's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, left his second rehab start for Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday after 1 2/3 innings and was diagnosed with right shoulder inflammation. Whitley, the No. 17 overall pick in the 2016 Draft, had Tommy John surgery in March '21. • Right-hander Jimmy Endersby, the team's No. 23 prospect, was promoted to Sugar Land from Double-A on Tuesday. He went 2-5 with a 3.88 ERA and .240 batting average against in 16 games (12 starts) for Corpus Christi this year. • Right-hander Christian Mejias was promoted from Single-A Fayetteville to High-A Asheville on Monday. He went 2-0 with a 2.11 ERA in June with 29 strikeouts and four walks in 21 1/3 innings. In 10 appearances overall (five starts) with the Woodpeckers, Mejias had a 2.45 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 44 innings. You can keep up with all the latest news about the Astros' Minor League system and prospects here. |
IF YOU MISSED IT • Korey Lee had a feeling he would get his first Major League hit in the Bay Area, which is where he attended college at Cal. The Astros' No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline went 3-for-4 with three RBIs in his second Major League start Sunday in Oakland. Colleague Sonja Chen was there to chronicle how Lee's family and friends had a front-row seat for his big day in a 6-1 win over the A's. Read more >> • Four Astros were named reserves to the American League All-Star team last weekend, joining starter Jose Altuve at second base. Since 2017, Houston has had 27 All-Star selections, which tops the Major Leagues during that span. With the five selections -- even though an injured Yordan Alvarez (hand) won't play -- the Astros will be sending their second-largest group of players to the Midsummer Classic, only behind '17 and '18, when they sent six. Read more >> • Colleague Edwin Perez traveled with an Astros contingent to Uvalde, Texas, last week and detailed how the club did its part to try to help the city and its residents heal following the May 24 school shooting that took 21 lives. "They're heroes," said Martín García, who lost his 10-year-old niece in the shooting. Read more >> |
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| TRIVIA The Astros will have the No. 28 overall pick in this year's MLB Draft after not having a first-round pick in 2020 and '21. The last time they had the 28th pick was in '18. Whom did they take with the No. 28 overall pick that year? A. Seth Beer B. Korey Lee C. J.B. Bukauskas D. Jeremy Peña |
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THIS WEEK IN ASTROS HISTORY July 11, 1985 Nolan Ryan of the Astros became the first pitcher to reach 4,000 career strikeouts when he whiffed Mets outfielder Danny Heep in the Astrodome. Ryan retired with a Major League-record 5,714 career strikeouts. Only three other pitchers have reached 4,000 strikeouts, including a pair of former Astros -- Randy Johnson (4,875) and Roger Clemens (4,672) -- and Steve Carlton (4,136). |
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TRIVIA ANSWER A. Seth Beer The Astros took the power-hitting Clemson infielder with the No. 28 pick in 2018 and signed him for a $2.25 million bonus. He was traded along with prospects Bukauskas, Corbin Martin and Josh Rojas to the D-backs in exchange for Zack Greinke on July 31, 2019. |
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