Day One of the 2026 MLB Draft gave the Astros plenty to sort through, and not just because they made five picks with four inside the top 100. Houston also walked into the night with extra flexibility after Hunter Brown’s Cy Young finish boosted the draft bonus pool, and that has left the early shape of the class feeling a little cloudy.
That uncertainty is part of the story here. A couple of the Astros’ choices went a little sideways from industry consensus, which makes the second day especially important. The real picture may not come into focus until rounds 5-10 begin, and that could change the way these first-day decisions look in the end.
For now, though, the first round starts with Logan Hughes at No. 17.
The college outfielder fits the profile that was popular early in the draft: a hitter who makes a lot of contact. Hughes should bring both average and power, and his patient approach suggests he can handle what pro pitchers will try to do to him.
The concern is the glove, or really the lack of defensive value. It also feels like Houston might have been able to get him later if the bat was the only thing driving the pick.
Still, it’s a solid start, with the signing bonus likely to shape the final read.
The Astros then used their first-round PPI pick on right-hander Jack Radel at No. 28, another selection that raises questions about how the bonus pool is being managed. Radel had a strong run at Notre Dame and brings three pitches that can flash plus at times: his fastball, slider and cutter.
His best trait is pitchability, which should serve him well early in the minors. The downside is obvious enough - he doesn’t yet have a true plus pitch, and that keeps the ceiling from getting too loud.
Even so, he would not have been there at the next pick, so this one also may come down to the money.
Houston’s best value on the board so far might be left-hander Wes Mendes at No. 57.
This one makes sense on multiple levels. Mendes pitched for a strong team in a tough college conference, and he owns one of the better changeups in the class.
That pitch helps the rest of his arsenal play up, which is exactly what you want from a college lefty in this range. Getting that mix of stuff and feel at 57 looks like a win.
The third round brought another pick that feels a little less straightforward: shortstop Keon Johnson at No. 93.
Johnson has the kind of bat-to-ball skill that teams were chasing in this draft, and he brings a strong arm. But beyond that, the tool set is thin.
There isn’t much power, and the speed questions make it fair to wonder whether he can stay at shortstop. If the bonus number climbs too high, this could be the kind of pick that looks shaky.
In the fourth round, the Astros again went off script with Kam Durnin at No. 121, though this one is easier to understand. Durnin played shortstop for a strong Mizzou team and put together back-to-back college seasons with 1.000+ OPS. He’ll need swing adjustments to deal with pro pitching, but there are solid fundamentals to build on.
Then came the comp pick at No. 133, and that may be the clearest sign yet of where Houston is headed. Beau Peterson looks like an over-slot signing waiting to happen.
He’s a prep bat with a well-rounded profile, the kind who should hit for both average and power. There are questions about whether he can stay at third base long term, but the arm fits there, and the bat should play in an outfield corner or on the right side of the infield if needed.
If Dana Brown can land a couple more decent over-slot swings on Day Two, this class starts to look a lot more interesting.
In Other News...
Astros Draft Haul Just Raised A Familiar Question About This Farm System
The first day of the 2026 MLB Draft gave the Astros a pretty clear snapshot of how they want to keep feeding the pipeline. Houston opened by taking Texas Tech outfielder Logan Hughes at No. 17 overall and Notre Dame right-hander Jack Radel at No. 28, then kept working the board with two more shortstops, Georgia prep infielder Keon Johnson and Missouris Kam Durnin, in the third and fourth rounds. It was the kind of haul that suggests the front office was looking for a mix of impact talent up top and more infield depth behind it.
Cam Pendino, the clubs amateur scoring director, offered enough detail to show why those picks fit the Astros broader plan, especially with Johnson and another selection, Beau Peterson, expected to sign. The more interesting part may be what the draft board said about Houstons farm system itself, because landing multiple players who fit premium positions can be a sign that the organization is trying to address both upside and balance at once. Whether that translates into the kind of depth the Astros are hoping for is the question that now hangs over the rest of the draft. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Trade Deadline Picture Just Changed Around One Key Star
The Astros deadline plans may be shifting in a hurry, and Josh Hader is a big reason why. According to USA Todays Bob Nightengale, Houston is not treating its closer as a trade chip, a notable stance for a club that has spent much of the season hovering below .500 but still remains close enough to a postseason spot to keep its hopes alive.
Hader has been one of the steadier pieces on the roster this year, which helps explain why the Astros would want to keep him in place as the deadline approaches. He is in the third year of a five-year deal, and with Houston potentially leaning toward buying rather than selling, the front offices attention may be turning more toward adding help than subtracting a late-inning arm. [Read more 🡒]
Andy Pettittes Son Suddenly Faces A Career Path Nobody Saw Coming
Luke Pettittes path to pro baseball has taken a sharp turn since Tommy John surgery and a stress fracture wiped out his sophomore pitching season at Dallas Baptist University. The son of former Astros left-hander Andy Pettitte was forced to spend that year away from the mound, then came back as a designated hitter and showed enough at the plate to make people around the game rethink what kind of player he might become.
What makes his future so interesting now is that his value no longer looks tied to just one role. Houston has its own view of him, but the broader conversation around Pettitte has shifted from whether he can get back on the mound to how teams will ultimately classify him when draft time arrives, with his bat adding a new layer to a career path that once seemed much more straightforward. [Read more 🡒]