Astros’ second-day selections include four college pitchers
The Astros spent four of their eight picks on the second day of the MLB Draft on collegiate pitchers, beginning with Grayson County College righthander Tyler Ivey, a transfer from Texas A&M, in the third round.
Ivey, selected with the 91st overall pick, profiles as a starter in the Astros’ opinion. Baseball America ranked Ivy as this draft’s 302nd-best prospect, so perhaps the Astros believe they can sign him to an under-slot deal and spread the surplus bonus pool money around elsewhere in the class.
In the fourth round (121st overall), the Astros drafted Notre Dame righthander Peter Solomon. They then added Texas Tech lefthander Parker Mushinski in the seventh round (211th overall) and former Tennessee righthander Kyle Serrano in the 10th round (301st overall). Serrano, who had Tommy John surgery last spring, left Tennessee baseball in April for what the program described as “personal medical reasons.” His father, Dave, was Tennessee’s baseball coach until he resigned from his post at the end of the Volunteers’ season last month.
On the position player front, the Astros drafted power-hitting first baseman and Big Ten Player of the Year Jake Adams from the University of Iowa with their sixth-round pick (181st overall). They went local in the eighth round (241st overall), drafting University of Houston outfielder and Friendswood native Corey Julks (Clear Brook High School).
The Astros also drafted two catchers, Nathan Perry from Bassett High School in Virginia in the fifth round (151st overall) and LSU’s Michael Papierski in the 9th round (271st).
“We feel very good about the players we got,” Astros assistant general manager Mike Elias said. “It was definitely good to get some arms today, some college arms.”
Rounds 11 through 40 will be conducted Wednesday beginning at 11 a.m.