It was difficult to predict where the Astros would go with their first selection in the 2021 draft, as 86 players were set to come off the board before they’d come on the clock. Most who tried to hazard a guess as to where they were looking pointed towards the pitcher side, but the Astros ended up zagging to select Nevada prep bat Tyler Whitaker instead, a tools-first prospect who most expected to come off the board a bit earlier. A product of storied Bishop Gorman high school in Las Vegas, which produced Bryce Harper and Joey Gallo, Whitaker is a former infielder who converted to the outfield as an upperclassman.
Astros Select OF Tyler Whitaker at 87th Overall
