Fansided · Jul 15, 2025
Mariners fans will sadly have a hard time rooting against Astros' top draft pick
Xavier Neyens, a Washington native who grew up a Mariners fan, was drafted by the Astros in the first round, adding a bittersweet twist to the AL West rivalry.
Houston Astros Press Conference | Bob Levey/GettyImagesThe Houston Astros may have just pulled off a gut-punch to Seattle Mariners fans — and somehow made themselves just a little harder to hate along the way.
With the 21st overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, Houston selected 6-foot-4 shortstop Xavier Neyens out of Mt. Vernon High School in Washington state — a self-proclaimed Mariners fan who now finds himself heading straight to one of Seattle’s biggest division rivals.