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Major League Baseball’s 2010 First-Year Player Draft began with a bang on Monday evening.

For round one coverage, fans around the globe tuned in to see who their team chose once the clock stopped ticking, and commissioner Bud Selig stepped to the podium to make the announcement.

Three days and 50 rounds later, the Houston Astros made their final selections in this year’s draft on Wednesday.

And for those who missed it, here’s exactly how everything played out over the three days as the team selected a plethora of picks…

DAY ONE, ROUND 1: June 7, 2010

Round 1, No. 8—Delino DeShields Jr., 2B, Woodward Park Academy High School.

Round 1, No. 19—Mike Foltynewicz, RHP, Minooka Community High School.

Round 1, No. 33—Michael Kvasnicka, C, Minnesota (Junior).

DAY TWO, ROUNDS 2-30: June 8, 2010

Round 2, No. 58—Vincent Velasquez, RHP, Garey High School.

Round 3, No. 90—Austin Wates, RF, Virginia Tech (Junior).

Round 4, No. 123—Robert Doran, RHP, Texas Tech (Junior).

Round 5, No. 153—Ben Heath, C, Penn State University (Junior).

Round 6, No. 183—Adam Plutko, RHP, Glendora High School.

Round 7, No. 213—Robert Pena, C, Eloisa Pascual High School.

Round 8, No. 243—Jake Buchanan, RHP, North Carolina State University (Junior).

Round 9, No. 273—Thomas Shirley, LHP, Xavier (Junior).

Round 10, No. 303—Evan Grills, LHP, Sinclair SS High School.

Round 11, No. 333—Kyle Redinger, 3B, Cedar Crest High School.

Round 12, No. 363—James Robinson, RHP, Georgia Tech (Senior).

Round 13, No. 393—Davis Duren, 2B, Oklahoma State University (Junior).

Round 14, No. 423—Jordan Scott, CF, Riverside High School.

Round 15, No. 453—Jamaine Cotton, RHP, Western Oklahoma State [Junior College] (J2).

Round 16, No. 483—Christopher Wallace, C, University of Houston (Senior).

Round 17, No. 513—Tyler Burnett, 3B, Middle Tennessee State (Junior).

Round 18, No. 543—Joshua Magee, CF, Hoover High School.

Round 19, No. 573—Jacoby Jones, SS, Richton High School.

Round 20, No. 603—Daniel Adamson, CF, Jacksonville State University (Senior).

Round 21, No. 633—Aaron Blair, RHP, Spring Valley High School.

Round 22, No. 663—Zachary Dygert, C, Ball State (Senior).

Round 23, No. 693—Adam Bailey, RF, Nebraska (Senior).

Round 24, No. 723—Adam Champion, LHP, University of Arkansas-Little Rock (Senior).

Round 25, No. 753—Rodney Quintero, RHP, Chipola Junior College (J1).

Round 26, No. 783—Alexander Sogard, LHP, North Carolina State University (Senior).

Round 27, No. 813—Jacke Healey, SS, Youngstown State University (Senior).

Round 28, No. 843—Jason Chowning, RHP, University of Oklahoma (Senior).

Round 29, No. 873—Broughan Jantz, CF, Nevada Union High School.

Round 30, No. 903—Kellen Kiilsgaard, RF, Stanford (Junior).

DAY THREE, ROUNDS 31-50: June 9, 2010

Round 31, No. 933—Travis Blankenship, LHP, University of Kansas (Senior).

Round 32, No. 963—William Chrismon, RHP, Menchville High School.

Round 33, No. 993—Michael Ness, RHP, Duke University (Senior).

Round 34, No. 1023—Ryan Cole, RHP, St. Johns University (Senior).

Round 35, No. 1053—Esteban Gomez, 1B, Bishop Ford Central Catholic High School.

Round 36, No. 1083—Ryan Halstead, RHP, Los Osos High School.

Round 37, No. 1113—Brian Streilein, RHP, Villanova University (Senior).

Round 38, No. 1143—Ryan Ford, 1B, Plano West Senior High School.

Round 39, No. 1173—Krishawn Holley, RHP, Mid Carolina High School.

Round 40, No. 1203—Jeremiah Meiners, LHP, Francis Marion University (Senior).

Round 41, No. 1233—Bryce Lane, RF, Gulf Coast Community College (J2).

Round 42, No. 1263—Paul Gerrish, RHP, Texas Christian University (Senior).

Round 43, No. 1293—DeMarcus Henderson, SS, Wayne County High School.

Round 44, No. 1323—Alexis Garza, RHP, McAllen High School.

Round 45, No. 1353—Ian Vazquez, SS, Perkiomen High School.

Round 46, No. 1383—Lawrence Pardo, LHP, Christopher Columbus High School.

Round 47, No. 1413—Joseph Carcone, SS, New Hartford High School.

Round 48, No. 1443—Thomas Pecoraro, RHP, Half Hallow Hills West High School.

Round 49, No. 1473—Kenny Diaz, C, Colegio Angel David High School.

Round 50, No. 1503—David Donald, CF, JL Mann High School.

Grading the Houston Astros in the 2010 MLB Draft: B+

Overall, I’d give Houston a B+ in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. They did what was necessary. The front office began rebuilding their minor league affiliates and preparing for the future of Astros baseball.

They began, and ended, with pitching.

Of course, everything won’t be said and done until these picks are signed, and begin playing in Houston’s farm system.

But hope—and reason to be optimistic— lies ahead for the Astros.

Position-by-Position Breakdown of Houston’s 2010 Draft Picks

Below is a complete positional breakdown of Houston’s selections in this summer’s MLB Draft—they selected 26 over the three-day marathon—to give fans a quick glimpse of how the Astros transformation process has already begun.

Catchers: 6

First Basemen: 2

Second Basemen: 2

Third Basemen: 2

Shortstops: 5

Outfielders: 9

Right-Handed Pitchers: 19

Left-Handed Pitchers: 7

Once all the dust has settled surrounding this summer’s draft—and once it’s set it stone which players have officially signed with the Astros—be on the lookout for a future piece on Bleacher Report regarding who exactly Houston will be walking away with in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.

Looking Ahead to the Future of Houston Astros Baseball: 2011 and Beyond

So, what’s next?

As fans, it’s just a matter of waiting it out.

First and foremost, front office executives must actually sign the players the Astros drafted—an issue that has caused Houston to lose probable stars in past drafts.

The second big issue is how these picks develop in the team’s farm system.

And finally, how quickly can they make the jump from the minors to the pros?

As stated earlier, and in prior columns, only time will tell.

But at least things are looking up for Houston’s future possibilities after—at least what I would call—a successful 2010 draft.

Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at denton.ramsey@gmail.com

[Photo Courtesy of MLB.com Shop]

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For the Houston Astros, the third day of Major League Baseball’s 2010 First-Year Player Draft began around noon ET on Wednesday, June 9 (with a plethora of picks from rounds 31-50), before finally concluding around 5 p.m. ET.

So how did Houston score in the last day of the draft?

Overall, I’d give them an A for day three.

Not only did the Astros continue picking pitchers to revamp their farm system, but they also chose smartly by focusing on college seniors—at least with a handful of their first picks on day three—with proven talent and experience

Along with that seniority comes an easier opportunity to sign with the team, and that’s something Houston baseball fans will be happy to hear.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the remainder of the Astros picks in this year’s draft, beginning with No. 933 in the 31st round and concluding in the 50th and final round:

Round 31, No. 933—Travis Blankenship, LHP, University of Kansas (Senior).

Round 32, No. 963—William Chrismon, RHP, Menchville High School.

Round 33, No. 993—Michael Ness, RHP, Duke University (Senior).

Round 34, No. 1023—Ryan Cole, RHP, St. Johns University (Senior).

Round 35, No. 1053—Esteban Gomez, 1B, Bishop Ford Central Catholic High School.

Round 36, No. 1083—Ryan Halstead, RHP, Los Osos High School.

Round 37, No. 1113—Brian Streilein, RHP, Villanova University (Senior).

Round 38, No. 1143—Ryan Ford, 1B, Plano West Senior High School.

Round 39, No. 1173—Krishawn Holley, RHP, Mid Carolina High School.

Round 40, No. 1203—Jeremiah Meiners, LHP, Francis Marion University (Senior).

Round 41, No. 1233—Bryce Lane, RF, Gulf Coast Community College (J2).

Round 42, No. 1263—Paul Gerrish, RHP, Texas Christian University (Senior).

Round 43, No. 1293—DeMarcus Henderson, SS, Wayne County High School.

Round 44, No. 1323—Alexis Garza, RHP, McAllen High School.

Round 45, No. 1353—Ian Vazquez, SS, Perkiomen High School.

Round 46, No. 1383—Lawrence Pardo, LHP, Christopher Columbus High School.

Round 47, No. 1413—Joseph Carcone, SS, New Hartford High School.

Round 48, No. 1443—Thomas Pecoraro, RHP, Half Hallow Hills West High School.

Round 49, No. 1473—Kenny Diaz, C, Colegio Angel David High School.

Round 50, No. 1503—David Donald, CF, JL Mann High School.

Although I’m not going to rundown Houston’s final 20 picks of this summer’s MLB Draft, in terms of brief scouting reports, be on the lookout for a complete list of the team’s draftees—along with a closer look at the positional breakdown of the players they picked up—in the coming days (or sooner) on Bleacher Report.

And I will say this: the Astros appear to have made some solid selections on the last day of the 2010 draft.

Hopefully all three days of tough decisions and choices will result in a much-improved farm system, as well as a future with the Houston Astros, once again, being contenders in the majors.

From—at least what some will call—round one risks, to solid selections on day two, to a concrete conclusion on day three, Houston is heading in the right direction.

It may take a few years to truly see the picks begin paying dividends, but one thing is certain: the Astros are intent on building towards the future.

And they took all the right first steps in this summer’s First-Year Player Draft.

Houston may not currently be leaders in the National League Central, or MLB in general, but looking ahead, things absolutely look bright for the Astros.

As long as they can sign, seal, and deliver what fans are longing to see: a winning ball club returning to Minute Maid Park.

So far, so good.

Let’s see what the future holds… 

Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at denton.ramsey@gmail.com

[Photo Courtesy of Google Images Search]

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

For the Houston Astros, day two of Major League Baseball’s 2010 First-Year Player Draft began with selections No. 58 and No. 90 (before a plethora of picks in rounds 4-30) shortly after noon ET on Tuesday, June 8.

So how did Houston score in the second day of the draft?

Let’s begin by taking a look at their first few choices (rounds two, three, and four) and what the future may hold for those players.

Overall, I’d give the Astros a B for their picks in day two of the MLB Draft.

Houston’s first selection came in the second round at No. 58, as the Astros opted for right-handed pitcher Vincent Velasquez.

Velasquez, at 6’3” and weighing 185 lbs, is a senior with great potential out of Garey High School in California.

According to a brief scouting report on Velasquez on MLB.com’s Live Draft Tracker, “Velasquez raised many eyebrows with his breakout performance at the Urban Youth Academy.” In the past, Velasquez had largely been a position player, partially because of an injury and partially because that’s how he viewed himself.

“He may be forced to change his view because there’s no doubt scouts see him on the mound after he was throwing a live fastball a good curve and a plus change. Add in good athleticism, excellent mechanics and the kind of projectable body scouts love, if Velasquez continues to throw that well, he’ll move up the charts among high school arms in a hurry.”

The Astros’ second selection of day two came at No. 90 in the third round, as Houston chose Austin Wates.

Wates, a 6’1” junior right fielder out of Virginia Tech, adds a powerful plate presence and lightening quickness to a team in dire need of offensive upgrades.

According to a brief scouting report on the outfielder on MLB.com’s Live Draft Tracker, “Wates is a rare breed: a toolsy college hitter. The Virginia Tech standout’s best tool is his speed and he should be a base-stealing threat at the next level. He can swing the bat, too, and projects to hit for more than enough average.”

“What he’s not going to do is hit for a ton of power. That, and his lack of a true position—he’s playing first and left field this season—are the only real knocks against him. He has the skills to play left full-time and could be a future table-setter. Those are always in high demand, so don’t expect Wates to last long on Draft day.”

Houston’s fourth round pick—and third selection of day two in the MLB Draft—No. 123, was used to nab right-handed pitcher Robert Doran.

Doran, at 6’6” and weighing 225 lbs, is a junior out of the Big 12’s Texas Tech.

According to a brief high school review of Doran on Texas Tech’s official athletic site, he is a “2007 graduate of Class 5A Flower Mound High School in Flower Mound, Texas [where he] earned varsity letters in baseball and was coached by Steve Stinson. [He] pitched the first no-hitter in school history in 2007 [and] helped lead his team to the district title and a No. 3 national ranking later that same year.”

Also, in two seasons at Seward County Community College, he was the team’s ace in 2009 with a 10-3 overall record and a 2.58 ERA. In addition, Doran had 81 strikeouts while walking just 24 batters (in a tad over 92 innings pitched) in 2009; and went 4-0 with two saves as a freshman in 2008.

Hopefully with a bit of instruction and training in the minors, Doran will bud into a future star in Houston—as the team continues to search for refined pitching prospects to lead the organization through 2011 and beyond.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the remainder of the Astros picks in rounds 5-30:

Round 5, No. 153—Ben Heath, C, Penn State University (Junior).

Round 6, No. 183—Adam Plutko, RHP, Glendora High School.

Round 7, No. 213—Robert Pena, C, Eloisa Pascual High School.

Round 8, No. 243—Jake Buchanan, RHP, North Carolina State University (Junior).

Round 9, No. 273—Thomas Shirley, LHP, Xavier (Junior).

Round 10, No. 303—Evan Grills, LHP, Sinclair SS High School.

Round 11, No. 333—Kyle Redinger, 3B, Cedar Crest High School.

Round 12, No. 363—James Robinson, RHP, Georgia Tech (Senior).

Round 13, No. 393—Davis Duren, 2B, Oklahoma State University (Junior).

Round 14, No. 423—Jordan Scott, CF, Riverside High School.

Round 15, No. 453—Jamaine Cotton, RHP, Western Oklahoma State [Junior College] (J2).

Round 16, No. 483—Christopher Wallace, C, University of Houston (Senior).

Round 17, No. 513—Tyler Burnett, 3B, Middle Tennessee State (Junior).

Round 18, No. 543—Joshua Magee, CF, Hoover High School.

Round 19, No. 573—Jacoby Jones, SS, Richton High School.

Round 20, No. 603—Daniel Adamson, CF, Jacksonville State University (Senior).

Round 21, No. 633—Aaron Blair, RHP, Spring Valley High School.

Round 22, No. 663—Zachary Dygert, C, Ball State (Senior).

Round 23, No. 693—Adam Bailey, RF, Nebraska (Senior).

Round 24, No. 723—Adam Champion, LHP, University of Arkansas-Little Rock (Senior).

Round 25, No. 753—Rodney Quintero, RHP, Chipola Junior College (J1).

Round 26, No. 783—Alexander Sogard, LHP, North Carolina State University (Senior).

Round 27, No. 813—Jacke Healey, SS, Youngstown State University (Senior).

Round 28, No. 843—Jason Chowning, RHP, University of Oklahoma (Senior).

Round 29, No. 873—Broughan Jantz, CF, Nevada Union High School.

Round 30, No. 903—Kellen Kiilsgaard, RF, Stanford (Junior).

Although I’m not going to breakdown Houston’s final 26 picks on day two in the draft (in terms of brief scouting reports), one thing should absolutely be pointed out: Roy Oswalt was taken in the 23rd round by the Astros in the 1996 MLB Draft.

So, who’s next?

Is there a future Roy O or Nolan Ryan (drafted in the 12th round) on this list?

Only time will tell…

Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at denton.ramsey@gmail.com

[Photo Courtesy of Google Images Search]

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With the first round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft now in the rearview mirror, it’s time to take a look at how the Houston Astros scored.

Overall, the Astros (at last in my opinion) are a B+ in terms of day one draft choices—and their farm systems are in dire need of offensive additions.

Houston chose speed and athleticism with their overall No. 8 pick, and it appears they were concerned about losing their potential future star and decided to take him early.

The Astros selection?

Second baseman Delino DeShields Jr., out of Woodward Park Academy in Georgia—a guy who has tremendous upside and Michal Bourn-type quickness both on the base paths and in the field of play.

Son of former Major Leaguer Delino DeShields Sr., the younger version of his father is aiming for professional success with the Houston Astros.

Known primarily for his outfield skills and ability in high school, DeShields Jr. (with a 5’9” frame and weighing 188 lbs) can play infield positions as well and is very solid defensively.

In addition, DeShields Jr. appears to have good plate discipline with concrete control of the bat and the capability to hit line drives consistently.

According to a brief scouting report on DeShields Jr. on MLB.com’s Live Draft Tracker, “DeShields has two things really working in his favor: his plus speed and his bloodiness. His dad of the same name spent many years in the big leagues, and the hope is that the younger DeShields could be a similar type of player. He does have the potential to be a very good hitter and puts his speed to use on the basepaths.

“He has more than enough range to handle center field and the hands to play second if a team wanted to give that a look. Scouts have had a hard time getting a consistent read on DeShields. He’s toolsy and seems like he’ll fall right into the risk vs. reward debate. It seems like a team will be willing to take the plunge at some point not too deep into the Draft.”

That report was right, and that team “willing to take the plunge” is the Houston Astros.

Only time will tell how this draft choice pans out, but he appears to be a good fit for an Astros organization in major need of upgrades.

Houston also garnered the No. 19 overall pick in the first round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft—thanks to the Jose Valverde trade—and opted to go with a pitcher.

His name?

Mike Foltynewicz, a right-handed pitcher out of Minooka Community High School in Illinois, who is 6’4” and weighs 190 lbs.

And although he’s committed to play at the University of Texas beginning next season, Foltynewicz may have found his new home in Houston.

The righty’s most dangerous pitch is his sinker, which reaches speeds up to 95 mph, and his secondary pitch is a solid changeup.

After a few years of grooming and learning in the Astros’ minor leagues, Foltynewicz could easily develop into a future MLB pitcher.

According to a brief scouting report on Foltynewicz on MLB.com’s Live Draft Tracker, “Two years ago, fellow Illinois prep product Jake Odorizzi raced up Draft boards late and ended up going in the supplemental first round. Foltynewicz is more of a known quantity and could do quite well when the Draft comes around. That’s because of his plus fastball with plus movement, a good changeup and clean mechanics.

“The breaking ball needs some work but should be fine with more instruction. While it’s typically been the prep arms from the warm-weather areas who go first, Foltynewicz is positioning himself to be one of the first from the Midwest to go off the board.”

Once again, the experts were right—as Houston took the up-and-coming pitcher with the No. 19 pick in Monday’s first round of the MLB Draft.

The Astros final selection in day one coverage was Houston’s supplemental first round pick at No. 33.

This time around, they chose an infielder—as former Houston All-Star Jeff Bagwell announced the Astros’ first round supplemental pick.

Mike Kvasnicka, a hard-hitting catcher out of Minnesota where he just completed his junior year, was taken by the Astros as the team’s final day one selection in the 2010 MLB Draft.

At 6’2” and 220 lbs, Kvasnicka played third base at the University of Minnesota this past season—and the switch hitting batter is pretty solid offensively with a good amount of patience at the plate (although his defense will need some work).

According to a brief scouting report on Houston’s No. 33 pick on MLB.com’s Live Draft Tracker, “Kvasnicka was named Third-Team All-Big Ten as an outfielder for the Golden Gophers in 2009 as a sophomore. He was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 31st round of 2007 First-Year Player Draft but did not sign.”

*****

[Photo Courtesy of Google Images Search]

Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at denton.ramsey@gmail.com

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft just around the corner—as coverage and picks begin Monday, June 7—it’s time to take a look back at Houston’s history of draft choices and where the future Astros are today.

Today’s slideshow will focus on the team’s top picks over the past decade, leaving us with 10 names and 10 futures—beginning with the Astros first round pick in the 2000 amateur draft.

Some names will ring a tune of familiarity while others may sound completely off-the-wall (and those players very well may no longer be playing the game), but one thing is certain: Houston must cash in when the 2010 draft begins tomorrow evening, as the Astros will be picking three first round selections.

Let’s begin by looking back to 2000, and we’ll take it from there to tomorrow’s major draft day…

Begin Slideshow

Everyone talks about the top 10 and first round picks, but what have been the best hidden gems in the Major League Baseball Draft’s last 45 years or so?

From Albert Pujols (13th Round) to Mike Piazza (62nd Round) to Andy Pettitte (22nd Round), many superstars have been discovered well after being part of hundreds—if not thousands—of other players.

So, who’s in my personal top 10 list of under-the-radar, hidden gems in the past 45 years of MLB Drafts?

Begin Slideshow

Amazingly, the Houston Astros have turned pitiful late game plays into incredible ninth inning heroics.

Those same Astros were at it again on Thursday afternoon at Minute Maid Park, battling the bewildered Washington Nationals and walking off the field with a come-from-behind 6-4 victory.

First, Astros closer Matt Lindstrom blew the save for Houston after taking a 3-2 lead into the top of the ninth—only to find himself and his team down 4-3 heading into the bottom of the frame.

That’s when the real magic began.

The game really should have concluded on a game-ending catch in the outfield, but instead resulted in a tie game at 4-4 as Lance Berkman trotted to second base and Michael Bourn easily scored to deadlock the match-up with two outs.

Shortly thereafter, Carlos Lee made up for his momentary lapse of reason in left field to begin the inning—belting a walk-off two-run home run to the Crawford Boxes to give the Astros three wins out of four against the reeling Nationals.

However, regardless of the team’s good fortunes as of late—the Astros are still near the MLB cellar at 20-34.

Is there still time to make a run? Mathematically, yes.

But realistically, Houston needs to begin building towards the future.

Unfortunately, that means saying goodbye to legends and heroes such as ace Roy Oswalt and longtime Astro Lance Berkman.

Will Houston fans see both All-Star athletes dealt away before season’s end?

Only time will tell, but one thing is certain right now. The Astros aren’t going to be doing much of anything this season beyond moral victories and scouting out future talent in their farm systems.

Thankfully, the MLB Draft is right around the corner. And Houston has five of the first 90 picks.

Let’s raise a pint of Shiner Bock to the future of Astros baseball…

Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at denton.ramsey@gmail.com

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Who’s No. 1 in your top 10 list when talking about the best pitchers—over the last 25 years—who wore glasses on the mound?

Inspired by K-Rod’s incredible start to the 2010 season for the New York Mets and the great Rick “Wild Thing” Vaughn of Major League fame, today I’ll be ranking the best four-eyed hurlers in the game.

Let’s begin…

Begin Slideshow

There are moments in time where sports takes a backburner—and life takes center-stage.

Unfortunately, Major League Baseball has had their share of losses in terms of players dying way too young.

Especially in the past decade.

Today, we’re going to quickly take a look at a trio of former Houston Astros stars—as well as leaders, teammates, and fan-favorites—whose legends will live on forever.

Regardless of their final bows here on Earth…

Begin Slideshow

Jose Lima, a former Major League Pitcher for five teams from 1994-2006, died early Sunday morning, May 23.

Lima was 37 years old.

According to numerous ESPN news wire services, Lima’s wife—Dorca Astacio—believes the cause of death was a heart attack.

“Jose was complaining while sleeping and I just thought he was having a nightmare,” Astacio told ESPNdeportes.com. “I called the paramedics, but they couldn’t help him.”

Lima’s best season in the majors came in 1999 when he was pitching with the Houston Astros—going 21-10 with a 3.58 ERA.

A player known for his upbeat attitude and love-of-the-game personality, Lima will truly be missed.

And he’ll always be remembered—by former teammates and fans alike.

As Lima used to always love to say, “It’s Lima Time.”

Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at denton.ramsey@gmail.com

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com