Houston Astros Take Catcher In Recent MLB Mock Draft
It's nearly June, which means the MLB Draft is right around the corner, and with the pre-draft process comes mock drafts. The draft is always a crapshoot, but fans like to see who is in the range of their team and who they should keep an eye on during the college baseball postseason, or look at stats from the regular season. In the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report, the Houston Astros selected a college bat.
At the 28th overall pick, Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter has the Astros selecting Sam Houston State catcher Walker Jenek.
Sam Houston State did not make the college baseball tournament, but that was no fault of Janek, who had a real breakout season at the plate. The 21-year-old was by no means bad in 2023, hitting 13 home runs and a .926 OPS in his sophomore season. In 2024, though, he took a step forward.
In 58 games, the catcher was top five in his conference in batting average (.364), home runs (17), RBI (58) and lead the conference with a 1.185 OPS. He was one of the best players in Conference USA in 2024.
As far as a draft prospect, Janek seems to be a consensus first rounder. According to MLB Pipeline, he is the best catching prospect in the draft, ranked at 23 in their top 200 for the draft.
While Janek had a good season at the plate, his calling card is his defense. He won the Defensive Player of the Year for his conference behind the plate. His best tool is his arm, according to MLB Pipeline who gave it a 60 on the 20-80 scale, which is a plus tool.
Despite putting up good numbers, Janek has "below average" bat speed according to his scouting report and can get a little pull happy. He did improve his plate discipline, however, going from just 26 walks to 40 from 2023 to 2024.
Overall, as far as catching prospects go, he looks to be a safe defender with upside at the plate. That's something the Astros could use. As it sits, Yainer Diaz has struggled, with just a .645 OPS and 85 OPS+.
That's not to say Janek, should he be picked, would unseat Diaz. He had an incredible rookie season, and it's normal to have a bit of a sophomore slump. It also takes time for draftees to come up, unlike the NFL. But, the Astros could use catching depth, as journeyman Victor Caratini is struggling as the backup.
College bats usually move faster than any other players that are drafted in the MLB draft. Think Adley Rutchsman, Wyatt Landford and Zach Neto. Catching depth is a need for the Astros, and drafting one in the first round makes all of the sense in the world, especially if it's a college catcher. Janek might not end up being the pick, but it gives an idea of what Houston could be looking at come Draft Day.
SEAN O'LEARY