The Astros shocked everyone Monday night, selecting Puerto Rican shortstop Carlos Correa with the first overall pick in the MLB draft.
It was widely anticipated that the Astros would take Stanford right-hander Mark Appel, who certainly could have made an impact much sooner than the 17-year-old Correa. The Astros went with potential, though. Correa’s stock has climbed of late, and it didn’t sound as though he’d make it out of the top five.
Correa is already 6-foot-4 and offers excellent power potential for a middle infield. The question is whether he’ll be able to stay at shortstop as he continues to fill out. Scouts believe he’s a legitimate shortstop as is, but if he puts on 20 pounds over the next few years and loses a step, he might have to move to third base.
Given that the Astros are hardly one pitcher away from contention, it made sense for them to swing for the fences here. Correa is likely at least four years away from contributing, but scouts are largely in agreement that he has one of the two or three greatest upsides in the draft.
(We’ll be recapping the rest of the first round as the picks come in. Check back for links here or head over to the HBT mainpage for updates.)
Picks 2-5: Twins take Buxton, Mariners select Zunino .
Picks 6-10: Pirates halt Mark Appel’s free-fall .
Picks 11-15: A’s, Mets select high school shortstops .
