Can Astros Overcome One Major Disadvantage They're Facing in MLB Draft?

The Houston Astros have overcome the odds to be atop the American League West with a record of 56-39, six games ahead of the Seattle Mariners.

It wasn’t a spot many people thought the Astros would be in entering play on July 13 given how much talent and production they lost this past winter and some of the obstacles they have had to overcome during the season.

Houston has been bitten hard by the injury bug, missing several key contributors in designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, shortstop Jeremy Pena and center fielder Jake Meyers.

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Their pitching depth has been tested with Hayden Wesneski and Ronel Blanco both suffering season-ending elbow injuries that required Tommy John surgery. Spencer Arrighetti has also made only two starts in 2025.

Finding answers for the big league roster has been easier said than done, especially with how lowly regarded their farm system is.

With Cam Smith making the team out of spring training as the starting right fielder, the Astros were lacking impact prospects without a single top 100-ranked player at most outlets.

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That puts them in a perilous position when it comes to addressing needs on the roster. Not only is their depth questionable, but making trades to fix weaknesses is difficult without prospects to build a trade package around.

The lack of prospect depth is something that can be fixed with a successful MLB draft, but there are some obstacles for Houston to overcome in that regard as well.

“The Astros have the fourth-smallest bonus pool in the draft, and their No. 21 pick won't be followed by another until No. 95,” wrote Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report.

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How much talent can Houston land with such a limited supply of picks and not having much of a bonus pool to work with?

That is why Rymer believes the Astros have to target players who may slip through the cracks to have a winning strategy for this year’s draft.

“The idea should be to score a steal with the No. 21 pick. For example, they'll need to pounce on the off chance Kyson Witherspoon falls to them,” Rymer added.

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Still contenders, Houston is going to ultimately be on the lookout for players who can help them sooner rather than later.

That could lead to them targeting college pitchers who could make an impact at the Major League level within a year of being selected.

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