No clear favorite for Astros in latest mock drafts

The MLB Draft starts in less than an hour and three of the major baseball outlets that pride themselves on doing mock drafts were unable to come up with a consensus for the Houston Astros at No. 15.

The early polls had the Astros draft Oregon left-handed pitcher David Peterson. But now Keith Law, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo, and John Manuel have changed course.

For ESPN’s Law, he has the Astros selecting a high school pitcher out of Texas for the second straight year with RHP Shane Baz of Concordia Lutheran High School in Cypress, Texas.

Law says of the pick:

The rumor of the week was that Baz, who is committed to TCU and has strongly indicated that he intends to matriculate there in the fall, has a big deal already in place somewhere, which caused speculation that it was with Houston. They like him, he's local, and they have extra picks to allow them to go over-slot here. I'd heard them with Griffin Canning before his medical news came out, as well as with Hiura, Rogers, Kendall and Peterson.

The rest of his mock in on insider and worth every penny.

Callis and Mayo have the Astros going to the college ranks. Mayo has the Astros getting Missouri State third baseman Jake Burger. Callis had the Astros getting Vanderbilt outfielder Jeren Kendall.

The MLB.com pair said of their picks

Mayo: Jake Burger, 3B, Missouri State - The Astros could take Kentucky first baseman Evan White, but seem to prefer Burger's power. If they wanted to go college arm, David Peterson could be in play.

Callis: Jeren Kendall, OF, Vanderbilt - If someone like Baz or Beck or one of the college pitchers doesn't drop into its lap, Houston will mull Kendall, Burger, Hall, and California high school first baseman Nick Pratto.

Baseball America’s Jonh Manuel has the Astros selecting North Carolina RHP J.B. Bukauskas.

Manuel adds:

The fact that Bukauskas doesn’t throw a ton of fastballs wouldn’t deter the Astros, whose major league staff throws fewer fastballs than any other.