Three Early Contenders for Astros First-Round Draft Pick in 2026

The Houston Astros have the No. 17 selection in the 2026 MLB draft, and they could turn different positions for help.

William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros won’t have this much to do in the first round of a Major League Baseball draft since 2015.

The Astros have two selections in the first round of next July’s draft. One is their pick, the No. 17 overall. The other is a prospect performance incentive pick that the Astros are getting for pitcher Hunter Brown finishing in the top three in American League Cy Young voting. That pick is No. 28 overall.

Two sites — Baseball America (subscription required) and MLB Pipeline have already put together their first mock drafts of the 2026 cycle. BA had the Astros taking prep outfielder Blake Bowen out of JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. MLB Pipeline had the Astros taking Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese.

General manager Dana Brown and his staff have several months to figure it out. But, based on the rankings at these two services, here three other players to watch, aside from Bowen and Reese, at No. 17 overall, based on each service’s overall player rankings.

Jackson Flora

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The UC Santa Barbara star is considered perhaps the best college pitcher in the draft. If he’s taken as the top college aged pitcher, he’ll be the third USCB pitcher to be that selection in 11 years.

He went 6-3 with a 3.60 ERA last season, including 86 strikeouts and 17 walks in 75 innings. He finished the season as an All-Big West first-team selection and was named the CBWA National Pitcher of the Week and Big West Pitcher of the Week after he threw his first career complete game shutout against Cal Poly on April 19. He spent last summer in USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Training Camp.

Carson Bolemon

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Bolemon would be a buy-in to developing a prep pitcher. He’s throwing for Southside Christian High School in Simpsonville, S.C. He’s among the elite tier of prep pitchers. Baseball America scouted him and praised his repeatable delivery, his fastball which already hits 96 mph and emerging secondary pitches.

If the Astros go this way, he would be the first prep pitcher they’ve taken in the first round since Forrest Whitley in 2016 out of Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio, Texas. Whitley never panned out, due in part to injuries. Prep pitchers are notoriously hard to project when it comes to development.

Eric Becker

Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

Becker could be one of the steadiest players in the draft. The two-year star at Virginia figures to stick at shortstop and would give Houston another option long-term if they lose Jeremy Pena when he hits free agency in two years, along with Brice Matthews.

The ACC power produces pro talent on a regular basis. In two seasons with the Cavaliers, he slashed .366/.459/.637 with 17 home runs and the scouts at Baseball America call his swing “clean and simple.” He has the from to move to second or third base, if needed.