The Houston took what they considered to be the best of the best in the 2013 MLB Amatuer draft: Mark Appel from Stanford University. Yes, that Mark Appel. Both a Houston native and a Scott Boras client, this is the epitome of the ying and yang in MLB life. Apparently the high cost that comes from being both #1 overall in the draft and also a Boras client is somewhat mitigated nowadays from the MLB putting salary parameters for teams. That and perhaps that this just made the best sense to do. As an organization struggling to bring themselves into legitimacy to their own fans, much less to the entire MLB landscape, this is exactly the sort of move that brings more and more thumbs up that this is not a team that is turning their back on winning. And winning soon too.
So just what is it about Appel that is so appealing. Well, if the comparison to Mark Pryor is true (and there is nothing that he shows that says it’s not), this kid is going to be really good. In fact, he may be better than just good. And he’s now going to be a Houston Astro. I know, sign on the dotted line kid before we all pass out from holding our collective breath here. All in all, looks like Houston just drafted an Ace of the near future.
And there ain’t nothing wrong with that at all!