The first day of the 2026 MLB Draft took place in Philadelphia, and the Astros had a busy Day 1 with five picks including four in the top 100. They also had an extra first round pick at No. 28 thanks to Hunter Brown finishing in the top three of Cy Young voting last season.
Here is a look at who they selected:
Logan Hughes, OF, Texas Tech (No. 17 overall)
Hughes was the Astros’ first pick of the draft. He is known for his bat and patient approach at the plate, and the Astros clearly see him as someone who can hit for both average and power at the next level. There are some defensive questions but the bat is why they took him here.
Jack Radel, RHP, Notre Dame (No. 28 overall)
With their extra first round pick the Astros went with a college arm. Radel has three solid pitches and a chance to move quickly through the system. A safe, reliable pick for a team that needed pitching depth in the farm.
Wes Mendes, LHP, Florida State (No. 57 overall, Round 2)
Mendes had an impressive year at Florida State, going 9-3 with a 2.90 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 93 innings. The Astros see him as a future rotation piece and someone who could move relatively quickly through the system.
Keon Johnson, SS, First Presbyterian High School, Macon GA (No. 93 overall)
The Astros went back to back shortstops with their next two picks starting with Johnson, a high school standout with excellent bat to ball skills and an advanced approach for his age. He batted .540 as a senior with 11 home runs and has committed to Vanderbilt, but the Astros expect to sign him. They graded him out as a future Major League shortstop.
Kam Durnin, SS, University of Missouri (No. 121 overall)
Durnin was arguably the steal of the draft for Houston. The Missouri shortstop posted back to back 1.000 plus OPS seasons in college and is considered an athletic, polished hitter with a real chance to stick at short. The Astros were genuinely surprised he was still on the board.
Beau Peterson, 3B, Mill Valley Kansas (No. 133 overall)
Peterson came with the compensation pick the Astros received for losing Framber Valdez in free agency. He is considered the best Kansas prep position prospect in years, won the High School Home Run Derby during All-Star Week, and projects to hit for both average and power. He is committed to Texas but the Astros expect to sign him.
Day 2 of the draft continues Sunday with rounds 5 through 20. The Astros went heavy on contact hitters and shortstops on Day 1, which addresses a real need for depth in the system. A promising class and worth keeping an eye on as these players work their way through the minors, per MLB.
