As part of the punishment for the sign-stealing scandal, the Astros are without their first and second round draft picks for this year and next. At a time when the MLB Draft is only five(!) rounds for 2020, that reduction represents a forty percent cut in draft capital before any compensation picks are involved. For a club facing a rather uncertain future beyond 2021, the lack of top picks entering a thin farm system is a precarious position.
That said, first-round picks are not a sure fire guarantee to succeed. Follow any baseball team long enough and that truth is quickly evident.