For the third time in their history, the Houston Astros had the #1 pick in MLB entry draft. In 1976 they took future White Sox starting hurler Floyd Bannister, and in 1992 they took valuable baseball card but far from franchise player Phil Nevin. Tonight they took Puerto Rican shortstop Carlos Correa with the #1 overall pick in the march towards getting the state of Texas its first World Series winner.
The Astros were the first of the two teams to reach it, but the Texas Rangers have come much closer, losing the last two years. With 56 wins last year, the Astros have nowhere to go but up. And Correa will perhaps be their shortstop in their future AL West days.
Correa is the first Puerto Rican ever to be the #1 overall pick. So as the Astros believe “once you go Rican, you never go seekin!” This was a bit of a surprise pick as Mark Appel seemed to be the safe pick at #1, and Byron Buxton was considered the second best option. Catcher Ramon Castro, who went #17 in his draft class, was the previously highest drafted Puerto Rican. Another shortstop, future Hall of Famer Derek Jeter went five picks after Nevin in the ’92 draft.
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