The
Houston Astros, originally called the "Colt .45s", are a
Major League Baseball (MLB)
franchise based in
Houston,
Texas. They play in the
American League West division. Since the institution of Major League Baseball's
Rule 4 Draft, the Astros have selected 57 players in the first round. Officially known as the "First-Year Player Draft",[1] the Rule 4 Draft is Major League Baseball's primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs to its franchises. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, and the team that had the worst record receives the first pick.[1] In addition, teams which lost
free agents in the previous off-season may be awarded
compensatory or supplementary picks.[2] The First-Year Player Draft is unrelated to the
1961 expansion draft in which the Astros initially filled their roster.
Of the 57 players picked in the first round by Houston, 24 have been
pitchers, the most of any position; 21 of these were right-handed, while 3 were left-handed. Ten
catchers were selected, while nine
outfielders, nine
shortstops, two
first basemen, and two
third basemen were taken as well. The team also selected one player at
second base.[3] Thirteen of the players came from high schools or universities in the state of
California, while
Texas and
Tennessee follow with five and three players, respectively. They have also drafted two players from outside the United States:
Carlos Correa (2012) and
Ramón Castro (1994), both from
Puerto Rico.[3]
The Astros have made 12 selections in the supplemental round of the draft. They have made the
first overall selection in the draft five times; in 1976, 1992, 2012, 2013, and 2014.[3][7] They have had 16 compensatory picks since the institution of the First-Year Player Draft in 1965. These additional picks are provided when a team loses a particularly valuable free agent in the prior off-season,[2][8][V] or, more recently, if a team fails to sign a draft pick from the previous year.[9] The Astros have failed to sign three of their first-round picks. First, pitcher Randy Scarbery (1970) did not sign though the Astros received no pick in compensation.[10]John Burke (1991) and
Brady Aiken (2014) also did not sign. The Astros were given the 37th pick of the 1992 draft and a pick in the 2015 draft in compensation for Burke and Aiken, respectively.[3]
On January 13, 2020, Major League Baseball punished[11] the Houston Astros for cheating during the 2017 regular and post-season by using cameras to steal signs and relaying them to hitters using a trash can. As a result, Houston lost their 2020 and 2021 first and second-round draft picks.
V Through the 2012 draft,
free agents were evaluated by the
Elias Sports Bureau and rated "Type A", "Type B", or not compensation-eligible. If a team offered
arbitration to a player but that player refused and subsequently signed with another team, the original team was able to receive additional draft picks. If a "Type A" free agent left in this way, his previous team received a supplemental pick and a compensatory pick from the team with which he signed. If a "Type B" free agent left in this way, his previous team received only a supplemental pick.[9] Since the 2013 draft, free agents are no longer classified by type; instead, compensatory picks are only awarded if the team offered its free agent a contract worth at least the average of the 125 current richest MLB contracts.[57] However, if the free agent's last team acquired the player in a trade during the last year of his contract, it is ineligible to receive compensatory picks for that player.[58]
a The Astros lost their first-round pick in 1980 to the
California Angels as compensation for signing free agent
Nolan Ryan.[59]
b The Astros lost their first-round pick in 1981 to the
Texas Rangers as compensation for signing free agent
Dave Roberts.[60]
c The Astros gained a supplemental pick in 1989 for losing free agent
Nolan Ryan.[34]
The
Houston Astros, originally called the "Colt .45s", are a
Major League Baseball (MLB)
franchise based in
Houston,
Texas. They play in the
American League West division. Since the institution of Major League Baseball's
Rule 4 Draft, the Astros have selected 57 players in the first round. Officially known as the "First-Year Player Draft",[1] the Rule 4 Draft is Major League Baseball's primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs to its franchises. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, and the team that had the worst record receives the first pick.[1] In addition, teams which lost
free agents in the previous off-season may be awarded
compensatory or supplementary picks.[2] The First-Year Player Draft is unrelated to the
1961 expansion draft in which the Astros initially filled their roster.
Of the 57 players picked in the first round by Houston, 24 have been
pitchers, the most of any position; 21 of these were right-handed, while 3 were left-handed. Ten
catchers were selected, while nine
outfielders, nine
shortstops, two
first basemen, and two
third basemen were taken as well. The team also selected one player at
second base.[3] Thirteen of the players came from high schools or universities in the state of
California, while
Texas and
Tennessee follow with five and three players, respectively. They have also drafted two players from outside the United States:
Carlos Correa (2012) and
Ramón Castro (1994), both from
Puerto Rico.[3]
The Astros have made 12 selections in the supplemental round of the draft. They have made the
first overall selection in the draft five times; in 1976, 1992, 2012, 2013, and 2014.[3][7] They have had 16 compensatory picks since the institution of the First-Year Player Draft in 1965. These additional picks are provided when a team loses a particularly valuable free agent in the prior off-season,[2][8][V] or, more recently, if a team fails to sign a draft pick from the previous year.[9] The Astros have failed to sign three of their first-round picks. First, pitcher Randy Scarbery (1970) did not sign though the Astros received no pick in compensation.[10]John Burke (1991) and
Brady Aiken (2014) also did not sign. The Astros were given the 37th pick of the 1992 draft and a pick in the 2015 draft in compensation for Burke and Aiken, respectively.[3]
On January 13, 2020, Major League Baseball punished[11] the Houston Astros for cheating during the 2017 regular and post-season by using cameras to steal signs and relaying them to hitters using a trash can. As a result, Houston lost their 2020 and 2021 first and second-round draft picks.
V Through the 2012 draft,
free agents were evaluated by the
Elias Sports Bureau and rated "Type A", "Type B", or not compensation-eligible. If a team offered
arbitration to a player but that player refused and subsequently signed with another team, the original team was able to receive additional draft picks. If a "Type A" free agent left in this way, his previous team received a supplemental pick and a compensatory pick from the team with which he signed. If a "Type B" free agent left in this way, his previous team received only a supplemental pick.[9] Since the 2013 draft, free agents are no longer classified by type; instead, compensatory picks are only awarded if the team offered its free agent a contract worth at least the average of the 125 current richest MLB contracts.[57] However, if the free agent's last team acquired the player in a trade during the last year of his contract, it is ineligible to receive compensatory picks for that player.[58]
a The Astros lost their first-round pick in 1980 to the
California Angels as compensation for signing free agent
Nolan Ryan.[59]
b The Astros lost their first-round pick in 1981 to the
Texas Rangers as compensation for signing free agent
Dave Roberts.[60]
c The Astros gained a supplemental pick in 1989 for losing free agent
Nolan Ryan.[34]