Astros make Tar Heel pitcher J.B. Bukauskas their top draft pick
With the highest draft pick they expect to have for several years, the Astros selected a touted college arm who could rise quickly through their minor league system.
University of North Carolina righthander J.B. Bukauskas, taken by the Astros with the 15th selection on the first day of the MLB draft Monday night, has been compared to the Oakland Athletics’ Sonny Gray and, to a lesser extent, the Astros’ Lance McCullers Jr. because of his size and breaking ball.
Bukauskas, listed at
6-foot and 195 pounds, thrives behind a power slider regarded as one of the best breaking balls in this draft class. The Astros also view his fastball, which is 93-94 mph but has touched 98, as a plus pitch and his developing changeup as having aboveaverage potential.
“I think when you have the stuff and the skills, it doesn’t matter what size you are,” said Astros assistant general manager Mike Elias, leading his fifth draft for the organization. “I think that’s been proven over and over. And he’s plenty big. But it’s all about for us the results and the stuff coming of your hand.”
Bukauskus was the first of four players the Astros selected on the first night of the draft, which continues with rounds three through 10 on Tuesday. They selected high school third baseman Joe Perez with their first pick in the second round, 53rd overall, and Texas A&M righthander Corbin Martin (Cypress Ranch) at 56th, the first of the two picks they got from the St. Louis Cardinals as compensation for the hacking scandal.
The Astros closed the first night by picking University of Arizona second baseman J.J. Matijevic with the 75th selection.
Matijevic broke out this season with a .383/.436/.633 batting line in 240 at-bats for Arizona. He’s from North Huntingdon, Pa.
The 75th pick was the second of the two picks the Astros received from the Cardinals as compensation.
Bukauskas, a college junior who doesn’t turn 21 until October, had a 2.53 ERA in 15 starts for North Carolina this season. He struck out 116 batters against 37 walks in 922 innings in his third year as a starter for the Tar Heels.
The Astros next turn their attention to signing Bukauskas, who’s being advised by Scott Boras. Bukauskas is the first collegiate pitcher the Astros have selected in the first round since their ill-fated Mark Appel pick at the top of the 2013 draft.
“To get that kind of power stuff in the middle of the first round is a coup for us,” Elias said. “We had him rated as an early firstround talent.”
Bukauskas learned of his selection while watching the MLB Network broadcast with his parents. To continue a tradition, the Bukauskases decided to watch the draft at the same hotel at which the pitcher’s parents stayed every time they came from their home in Virginia to watch their son pitch in Chapel Hill, N.C.
“It’s kind of an indescribable moment,” Bukauskas said in a conference call with reporters. “It’s something you dream about your entire life, to hear your name called on TV in the MLB draft. It’s been kind of a whirlwind.”
Tim Bittner, the Astros’ area scout for the Carolinas and Virginia, first called Elias about Bukauskas after watching him pitch as a high schooler out of Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, Va. Set on attending North Carolina, Bukauskas told teams not to select him, though the Arizona Diamondbacks drafted him in the 20th round.
In addition to Bittner, Elias saw Bukauskus pitch numerous times over the pitcher’s three years at North Carolina. Astros special assistant Sig Mejdal, director of player personnel Quinton McCracken and senior scouting advisor Charlie Gonzalez were also among those to scout Bukauskus.
“He hasn’t been a hard guy to dig up,” Elias said.