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It's here. The day after the season means sending in of award ballots, the annual ranking of possible World Series and the draft order getting set. There will be some movement here thanks to free agency and possible pick forfeiture because of signings, but the top 10, at least, should be unchangeable.
That means we know where Houston will pick in 2015 in the first round and it's not No. 1 overall. Here's the draft order for Houston's first two picks.
1. Arizona
2. Houston (for failing to sign Brady Aiken)
3. Colorado
4. Texas
5. Houston
The Astros also have the No. 32 overall pick and will pick at No. 41 right now in the second round, though that pick is likely to be much lower after comp picks are awarded for free agent signings.
The first three picks that we know of should be worth around $12 million, but I'll let Baseball America tell you all the gory math details:
Houston will have rare draft ammunition in both picks and financial capital, armed with the No. 2 overall selection (compensation for not coming to terms with 2014 No. 1 overall pick Brady Aiken) and the fifth selection. The assigned pick values for those slots totaled $10,672,800 in 2014 and their 2015 values will likely exceed $11 million. For context, only one team spent more than $10 million for their entire bonus pool in 2014-the Marlins, who spent $12,741,700, the largest draft bonus expenditure in the three drafts under the current CBA.
The Astros will pick first in the competitive balance round (picked up in a trade from the Marlins), currently the 32nd selection, which had a $1.7 million dollar value in 2014. Their early second-round pick also will have a slot value of at least $1 million. Their first four picks will likely approach or exceed $14 million in combined slot values.
That's right. $14 million with the first four picks. The dream of having $20 million in draft pool money is alive, but unlikely. As it stands, they should have the biggest pool of any team since the new collective bargaining agreement was enacted.
Of course, if they can't sign any of those players, all that money is for naught. Count me as optimistic, though. I'm looking forward to seeing what this front office can do with that kind of money to spend.