Astros Select SEC Standout in Latest MLB Mock Draft

The 2026 MLB Draft is right around the corner. Front offices around the league are finalizing their plans for what they want to do on July 11 and 12 in Philadelphia because the decisions made on those days could define the future of a franchise.

Teams got to further solidify their opinions on the incoming prospects at the Draft Combine last week in Arizona. Clarity can be a good thing for multiple parties, including those who put out mock drafts.

In theory, the closer we get to the actual day of the draft, the closer the predictions for which player will go where will become.

This draft is incredibly important for the Houston Astros. According to pretty much anybody in the world, the Astros have one of the lousiest farm systems in the sport. Bulking that up in any form or fashion is a necessity. One of the best ways to do that is by drafting quality players.

The Astros have the No. 17 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, meaning that there should be some good talent available when the team is finally on the clock. The real question is who they'll pick when that time finally arrives.

MLB Pipeline Likes a High-Upside SEC Arm

Florida's Liam Peterson. | Cyndi Chambers/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

According to MLB Pipeline's latest mock draft, the Astros will be selecting Florida Gators right-handed pitcher Liam Peterson with the 17th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.

Peterson, a native of Palm Harbor, Florida, who just finished his junior season with the Gators, is somewhat of an unorthodox pick for the Astros. Houston has been known to select a plethora of notable hitters with its early draft capital, but with how poor the pitching in the farm system is, going with an arm seems like a likely choice.

Peterson was one of the best pitchers in the SEC over the past several seasons. He racked up a 4.59 ERA over 84 1/3 innings of work, striking out 111 and walking just 36 this past year. He was a preseason first-team All-American heading into 2026. While he didn't quite live up to those expectations, his stuff is still nasty enough to warrant a first-round selection.

"We've mostly been hearing hitters for the Astros, but so many of the college hitters that they have been interested in are now off the board," MLB Pipeline's Jonathan Mayo pointed out.

"I think they're going to go Liam Peterson, who, pure-stuff-wise, belongs higher than this, but performance-and-command-wise, this is about where you start hearing his name more."

Overall, Peterson was a good college pitcher. While there are still parts of his game that need work, he should enter the professional ranks with something to prove and a sense of purpose.

If the team that ends up drafting him is the Astros, then Houston will have ended up with a player who has the potential to be a quality starting arm for a contending team.

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