The 2023 MLB draft is complete! And after 20 rounds of picks, Houston Astros fans are surely already dreaming that one of the newest Astros will be a star. But which one? Here's more on Houston's 2023 draft class, with analysis from ESPN insiders.
First round (No. 28 overall): Brice Matthews, SS, Nebraska
37th in Kiley McDaniel's pre-draft rankings
Who is Matthews? A high school quarterback in Texas, Matthews hit .359 with 20 home runs and 20 steals for the Cornhuskers, the first player in school history to reach 20/20 -- and it came with some of the data points that front offices love these days, including an average exit velocity equal to Crews.
Why the Astros took him: New GM Dana Brown comes from a more traditional scouting background, but this is a pick that aligns with the Astros' number-crunching models of the past decade. But Matthews is more than just a data darling, as all of his tools grade as average or better. Given the huge improvement from his sophomore to junior seasons, he could be a late-blooming prospect. He has the range and arm to play shortstop but made 21 errors, so he could end up moving elsewhere in the infield or perhaps to center field. -- David Schoenfield
McDaniel's pre-draft take: Matthews was a data nerd favorite entering the spring for his above-average power/speed combo and steadily rose throughout the spring. He's a middle infielder, maybe a shortstop, and has a power-over-hit approach, but has a premium set of tools and strong performances.
Second round (No. 61 overall): Alonzo Tredwell, RHP, UCLA
71st in Kiley McDaniel's rankings
McDaniel's pre-draft take: The 6-foot-8 righty missed his prep senior season to Tommy John surgery, was a reliever as a freshman and started this spring, though missed some time with a back issue. He has solid-average stuff and above-average control.
Third round (No. 99 overall): Jake Bloss, P, Georgetown
170th in Kiley McDaniel's rankings
Fourth round (No. 131 overall): Cam Fisher, OF, UNC Charlotte
128th in Kiley McDaniel's rankings
McDaniel's pre-draft take: Old for the class at a mid-major school but highly productive with 25 HR pro upside, solid-average speed in power and patience mold.
Fifth round (No. 164 overall): Chase Jaworsky, SS, Rock Canyon (Colo.) HS
Sixth round (No. 194 overall): Ethan Pecko, P, Towson
Seventh round (No. 224 overall): Joey Dixon, P, Stanford
Eighth round (No. 254 overall): Ryan Johnson, 2B, Pepperdine
Ninth round (No. 284 overall): Jeron Williams, SS, Toledo
Tenth round (No. 314 overall): Austin Demig, INF, BYU
Eleventh round (No. 344 overall): Nehomar Ochoa Jr., OF, Galena Park (Texas) HS
133rd in Kiley McDaniel's rankings
McDaniel's pre-draft take: Combo of young for class with plus arm, speed and raw power; has been wowing in workouts.
Twelfth round (No. 374 overall): Anthony Huezo, OF, Etiwanda (Calif.) HS
299th in Kiley McDaniel's rankings
Thirteenth round (No. 404 overall): James Hicks, P, South Carolina
Fourteenth round (No. 434 overall): Jackson Nezuh, P, Louisiana Lafayette
Fifteenth round (No. 464 overall): Garret Guillemette, C, Texas
Sixteenth round (No. 494 overall): Will Buch, C, Tyler JC
Seventeenth round (No. 524 overall): Colby Langford, P, Murray State College
Eighteenth round (No. 554 overall): Derek True, P, Cal Poly
Nineteenth round (No. 584 overall): Andrew Duncan, OF, A3 Academy
209th on Kiley McDaniel's rankings
Twentieth round (No. 614 overall): Pascanel Ferreras, SS, Western Carolina