Posted by Brian Joseph on Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 2:51 am

With the Major League Baseball First-Year Draft about a month away, I thought it would be fun to look at the history of the First-Year Draft by team for the past 13 years. Who were the best picks by round? Who was the biggest bust? Who are the ones that got away? Look for these from now until June 9th for each Major League team starting with the Angels and ending with Yankees.

Houston Astros

The Ultimate Astros Draft (‘96-’08) By Round

1. Lance Berkman, 1B (1997 — 16th Overall Pick / Rice University)
   “Big Puma” is all over the All-Time batting leaderboards for the Houston Astros. He is second in hits (2,314), doubles (488) and total bases (4,213) behind Craig Biggio and second in home runs (295) behind Jeff Bagwell.
2. Hunter Pence, OF (2004 — 64th Overall Pick / University of Texas-Arlington)
   He’s only 26 and has a long career ahead of him, Hunter is hitting .333 with a .915 OPS so far in ‘09 after a semi-sophomore slump.
3. Kirk Saarloos, RHP (2001 — 86th Overall Pick / Cal State Fullerton)
   Saarloos was 29-30 with a 5.02 ERA in 165 appearances with Houston, Oakland and Cincinnati across seven Major League seasons.
4. Josh Anderson, OF (2003 — 119th Overall Pick / Eastern Kentucky)
   The Astros traded Josh after his first taste of Major League action in ‘07 for Oscar Villarreal. As a Brave, Anderson hit .294 in 40 games but was traded after the ‘08 season to the Detroit Tigers for minor league pitcher Rudy Darrow.
5. Collin DeLome, OF (2007 — 171st Overall Pick / Lamar University)
   ‘01 fifth round pick Charlton Jimerson did make a short stop in the Majors during his professional career but DeLome shows potential and is currently the ninth ranked prospect in the Astros’ organization according to Baseball America.
6. Ben Zobrist, 2B (2004 — 184th Overall Pick / Dallas Baptist University)
   The Astros traded Zobrist with Mitch Talbot to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Aubrey Huff. As a Ray, Zobrist has played in the Majors for four seasons and is currently hitting .280 with six homers in ‘09.
7. John Buck, C (1998 — 212th Overall Pick / Taylorsville (UT) High School)
   Buck never played for the Astros but was part of a three-team trade that landed the ’stros Carlos Beltran. As a Royal, Buck has played in 546 games (532 as catcher) and recently had two triples in one game increasing his career total to five.
8. Chris Sampson, SS (1999 — 263rd Overall Pick / Texas Tech)
   Sampson played in ‘99 as a position player which led to his retirement from baseball. He returned in ‘03 to the organization that drafted him and landed with the club as a pitcher. Back and forth between the bullpen and the starting rotation, Sampson settled into an exclusive bullpen role in ‘08 and is piecing together an impressive ‘09 season with a 2-0 record and 1.64 ERA in 16 appearances.
9. Morgan Ensberg, 3B (1998 — 272nd Overall Pick / University of Southern California)
   Ensberg was an All-Star as an Astro in ‘05 and was also awarded the Silver Slugger in the NL at third base that season. That year, Ensberg reached career highs in nearly every batting category including home runs with 36 and RBI with 101.
10. Keith Ginter, 2B (1998 — 302nd Overall Pick / Texas Tech)
    Ginter enjoyed six seasons in the Majors and was a semi-regular with the Brewers in ‘03 and ‘04 where he landed after he was traded by Houston as one of the players to be named later in the deal that brought Mark Loretta to the Astros.
11. D.J. Houlton, RHP (2001 — 326th Overall Pick / University of the Pacific)
    Houlton never played in the Majors for the Astros but neither did any of the other 11th Round picks. He did, however, make it there with the Los Angeles Dodgers where he went 6-11 with a 4.99 ERA in two seasons (‘05 & ‘07) with the club.
12. Bryan Hallberg, RHP (2006 — 369th Overall Pick / Pace University)
    Hallberg is currently at Class A Lancaster as a member of the Jethawks. In ‘08 he played in the Carolina League as a member of the Salem Avalanche where he posted a 5-8 record with six saves and a 2.68 ERA.
13. Chad Reineke, RHP (2004 — 394th Overall Pick / Miami (OH) University)
    The Astros used Reineke to land Randy Wolf at the deadline in ‘08. Chad made three starts and a total of four appearances for the Padres in ‘08 and went 2-1 with a 5.00 ERA.
14. Mark Ori, 1B (2005 — 434th Overall Pick / Northwestern University)
    Ori is currently with the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks and has a lifetime batting line of .287/.360/.410 in the minors.
    
15. Drew Sutton, OF (2004 — 454th Overall Pick / Baylor University)
    Currently at Triple-A Round Rock, Sutton is ranked as the 8th best prospect in the Astros organization by Baseball America.
16. Derek Nicholson, OF (1998 — 482nd Overall Pick / University of Florida)
    Nicholson made it to the Triple-A level with Detroit and later returned to Houston and played for Triple-A Round Rock in ‘06. Nicholson registered 11 seasons in professional baseball and played in 945 minor league and independent games.
17. Colin Porter, OF (1998 — 512th Overall Pick / University of Arizona)
    Porter played in 47 Major League games with Houston and St. Louis. He ended up with the Cardinals in ‘04 after he was waived by the Astros and later played in the minor league system of the Yankees and Diamondbacks.
18. Mike Hil, OF (1999 — 563rd Overall Pick / Oral Roberts)
    Hill played in six seasons in the minors with the Astros.
19. Edwin Maysonet, 2B (2003 — 569th Overall Pick / Delta State University)
    Maysonet was 1-for-7 in his cup of coffee in the Majors in ‘08 and nearly made the team out of spring training in ‘09.
20. Wade Miller, RHP (1996 — 594th Overall Pick / Topton (PA))
    Miller is currently with Triple-A Las Vegas in the Toronto minor league system. He pitched in the Majors with Houston, Boston and the Cubs and registered a 62-46 record with a 4.10 ERA in 151 games (147 starts).
21. Anthony Bello, LHP (2006 — 639th Overall Pick / Nova Southeastern University)
    Bello is just 23 and progressing along in the Astros organization. In his first three seasons of Rookie and Class A ball, Bello was 13-14 with a 3.85 ERA.
22. Jason Alfaro, RHP (1997 — 670th Overall Pick / Hill (TX) Junior College)
    Alfaro was drafted as a pitcher but later became a position player and earned a cup of coffee in the Majors as a short stop in ‘04. He was 2-for-11 with five strikeouts in his only Major League stint.
23. Roy Oswalt, RHP (1996 — 684th Overall Pick / Holmes Community College)
    Oswalt has already played in three All-Star games and won 20 games twice. In addition, he was the NLCS MVP in ‘05. He is currently 17th among active pitchers in wins with 130 and 22nd in strikeouts with 1,363.
24. Sean Walker, RHP (2005 — 734th Overall Pick / Baylor)
    Walker made it to the Double-A level in ‘08 but registered a 1-6 record and 7.24 ERA with Corpus Christi.
25. Kevin Carkeek, C (2007 — 771st Overall Pick / Oakland (MI) University)
    Carkeek has been successful at each level of minor league ball he has played at and last year finished the season with the Salem Avalanche in Class A for the Astros.
26. Jon Krysa, RHP (2000 — 787th Overall Pick / Rockhurst University)
    Krysa played only two years in the Astros minor league system but enjoyed six successful seasons in Independent ball. In ‘06, he went 13-5 as a member of the Kansas City T-Bones.
27. Brett Robinson, RHP (2007 — 831st Overall Pick / Florida Southern College)
    Robinson played for Class A Lexington in ‘08 and went 4-1 with a 6.02 ERA in 40 relief appearances.
28. Kevin Davidson, C (2002 — 851st Overall Pick / Rollins (FL) College)
    Davidson progressed for six years in the Astros minor league system but fizzled out at Triple-A Round Rock in 2007.
29. Tom Shearn, RHP (1996 — 864th Overall Pick / Briggs (OH) High School)
    Shearn was released in ‘02 by the Astros and picked up by the Reds. He made six starts with the Reds in ‘07 and went 3-0 with a 4.96 ERA but has not made it back to the Majors since.
30. Mike Burns, RHP (2000 — 907th Overall Pick / California State-Los Angeles University)
    Burns made 27 relief appearances with the Astros in ‘05 then was released and picked up by the Reds. He was later traded to the Red Sox and has since moved through the Cubs minor league organization and joined the Brewers minor league system as a member of the Triple-A Nashville Sounds in ‘09. The 30-year-old Burns is 5-0 with a 2.28 ERA in seven starts.
31. Jason Dominguez, RHP (2007 — 951st Overall Pick / Pepperdine University)
    Dominguez has struggled in ‘09 after successful minor league seasons with Class A Tri-City in ‘07 and Class A Salem in ‘08 in the Astros minor league system.
32. David Miller, RHP (2007 — 980th Overall Pick / Stephen F. Austin University)
    Miller, 24, improved in his second season at Class A Tri-City in ‘08.
33. Reid Kelly, RHP (2005 — 1,004th Overall Pick / Desert Mountain (AZ) High School)
    Kelly is in his first year with the Class A Lancaster Jethawks after two years at Class A Lexington and Rookie level Greeneville. At 22, he still has time to build on being the Astros’ best ever 33rd round pick.
34. Nathan Warrick, OF (2005 — 1,034th Overall Pick / University of Texas-Arlington)
    Warrick played two seasons in the Astros minor league organization before ending up in with the Independent Pensacola Pelicans in ‘07.
35. Jordan Powell, RHP (2007 — 1,067th Overall Pick / Sourthern Illinois)
    Powell, 24, is 3-1 with a 3.52 ERA as a reliever with Class A Lancaster.
36. Anthony Dewitt, RHP (2004 — 1,084th Overall Pick / University of Southern Mississippi)
    Dewitt has not pitched since ‘06 where he posted disappointing numbers with Class A Salem.
37. Abraham Ayala, 3B (1999 — 1,133rd Overall Pick / Miami-Dade College)
    Ayala played in the minor league system with the Astros in ‘00 and ‘01. He moved to the Mets organization in ‘02, the Devil Rays organization in ‘03 and then Independent ball from ‘04 to ‘06.
    
38. Ryan Larson, 3B (2002 –1,151st Overall Pick / University of California, San Diego)
    Larson lasted one season in the Astros minor league system and played three years of Independent ball.
39. Jeffrey Blitstein, RHP (1999 — 1,193rd Overall Pick / Chapman University)
    Blitstein never made it to the Astros organization but he’s the only 39th round pick with professional experience — a 28-20 record in four seasons in various Independent Leagues.
40. No Selections With Professional Experience
41. Axel Gonzalez, OF (2006 — 1,239th Overall Pick / Rosalina C. Martinez (PR) School)
    Axel hit .213 combined in his only year in the Astros minor league organization.
42. Brandon Stricklen, RHP (2005 — 1,270th Overall Pick / Texas Southern University)
    Stricklen pitched for two seasons in the Astros minor league system.
43. Marques Williams, OF (2007 — 1,286th Ovearll Pick / Compton (CA) Community College)
    Williams, 23, is hitting .212/.264/.276 through two minor league seasons with the Astros.
44. Cat Everett, SS (2007 — 1,31th Overall Pick / Tulane University)
    Everett is hitting .214/.320/.239 in 127 minor league games in two seasons of Class A ball.
45. Ryan McKeller, RHP (2002 — 1,355th Overall Pick / McLennan (TX) College)
    McKeller currently pitches with Triple-A Round Rock where he is 0-2 with an 8.50 ERA in 12 relief appearances in ‘09 — his first year at Triple-A and seventh season in the Astros’ organization. He was originally drafted in the 38th round in ‘01 by the Astros, also.
46. Anthony Adler, RHP (2004 — 1,379th Overall Pick / University of Texas)
    Adler played one year in the Astros minor league system.
47. Raymar Diaz, OF (2002 — 1,407th Overall Pick / Laredo (TX) Junior College)
    Diaz has posted a 35-29 record in six minor league seasons and last pitched for Class A Salem in ‘08.
48. Daniel Meszaros, RHP (2008 — 1,433rd Overall Pick / College of Charleston)
    Meszaros has nine saves in ‘09 at Class A Lexington and a two-year SO/9 of 15.1.
49. Chase Lehr, RHP (2008 — 1,460th Overall Pick / Glendale (AZ) Community College)
    Lehr did not have an impressive debut at Class A Tri-City in ‘08 — 0-1 with a 6.52 ERA in 7 games.
50. No Selections With Professional Experience

More Astros Draft Facts:

Biggest Bust

Robert Stiehl, RHP (2000 / El Camino College)
Stiehl was ta first round selection in ‘00 and played seven seasons in the Astros minor league system but never made it to the Major League level. He was 10-10 with a 4.17 ERA and never advanced above Double-A. His ‘07 season followed a year cut short by a broken ankle. Brian McTaggart of the Houston Chronicle actually put Derick Grigsby ahead of Stiehl on his “Bust” list from the last 10 years but I’m going with Stiehl.

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Almost an Astro:
These players were originally drafted by the Astros but chose to return to the draft and later were drafted by other teams and have had an impact:

1996: Paul Phillips, C / Meridian College (25th Round / 744th Overall Pick)
Phillips is now at Triple-A Colorado Springs in the Rockies minor league system but denied signing with the Astros to be selected two years later in the ninth round by the Kansas City Royals. Phillips made brief Major League stops with the Royals from ‘04 to ‘07 and in ‘08 went 0-for-2 in four games with the Chicago White Sox.

1997: Eric Byrnes, OF / UCLA (4th Round / 130th Overall Pick)
The Astros were the second team to draft Byrnes — the Dodgers drafted him in ‘94 in the 38th round — but Eric rolled the dice again and was drafted in the 8th round of the ‘98 draft by the Oakland Athletics. He is now in his 10th season and on his fourth team as an Arizona Diamondback.

1997: Trey Hodges, RHP / Blinn College (14th Round / 430th Overall Pick)
Hodges was also drafted by the Astros in the 32nd round of the ‘96 draft and the Padres in the 38th round of the ‘98 draft. However, Hodges later attended LSU, won the College World Series Most Outstanding Player Award in ‘00 and signed with the Atlanta Braves after they drafted him in the 17th round of that season. Trey made 52 appearances in ‘03 with the Braves and returned to their minor league system in ‘04. He last pitched with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders in the Rangers minor league system in ‘08 and went 8-8 with a 5.76 ERA as a starter/reliever.

1999: Greg Dobbs, 3B / Long Beach State (10th Round / 323rd Overall Pick)
Dobbs also passed on signing with the Mariners in ‘96 and then signed with them as an amateur free agent in ‘01. In his fifth season in the Majors, Dobbs was a pinch-hit specialist on the ‘08 Philadelphia Phillies and played a role in their World Series run.

2000: Bob McCrory, RHP / Columbus (MS) High School (11th Round / 337th Overall Pick)
McCrory improved his draft position by seven rounds when he was drafted in ‘03 by the Baltimore Orioles. He made his Major League debut in ‘08 and has pitched with the Orioles in both ‘08 and ‘09.

2000: Michael Bourn, OF / Nimitz (TX) High School (19th Round / 577th Overall Pick)
Before Bourn was drafted by the Phillies and then traded to the Astros as part of the Brad Lidge deal, he was selected in the 19th round of the ‘00 draft. Guess things have a way of working out, sometimes.

2000: Jason Windsor, RHP / Lehigh (CA) High School (43rd Round / 1,292nd Overall Pick)
Windsor’s stock soared after attending California State University, Fullerton and winning the College World Series Most Outstanding Player Award in ‘04. He was drafted in the third round of the ‘04 draft by the Oakland Athletics. Windsor made three starts with the Athletics in ‘06.

2001: Lance Cormier, RHP / University of Alabama (10th Round — 296th Overall Pick)
Cormier was originally drafted in the 40th round of the ‘98 draft by the Reds and chose to instead attend Alabama. The Astros took a shot at Cormier in ‘01 and he denied signing with them as well, finally settling on the Diamondbacks who drafted him in the fourth round of the ‘02 draft. He has made 182 appearances in six Major League seasons with three different clubs.

2002: Patrick Misch, LHP / Western Michigan (5th Round / 161st Overall Pick)
Misch returned to the draft and was selected by the San Francisco Giants in ‘03 in the 7th round. He has yet to record a win in 35 Major League appearances.

2002: Nick Stavinoha, OF / San Jacinto (TX) College (39th Round / 1,181st Overall Pick)
Stavinoha may have been born in Houston but decided against signing with the Astros after they drafted him in ‘02 and instead signed with the Cardinals who drafted him in the seventh round of ‘05. Stavinoha made a brief stop with the Cardinals in ‘08 and was recently recalled due to the injury bug that has bitten the Cardinals outfield this season.

2002: Scott Feldman, RHP / College of San Mateo (41st Round / 1,241st Overall Pick)
Feldman said yes to Texas in ‘03 but no to Houston in ‘02. If only the Astros took him in the 30th round like the Rangers did that season maybe he would have been more inclined to sign. As a member of the Rangers, Feldman has pitched at the Major League level in each of the past five seasons and is currently a member of the starting rotation.

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Supplemental Picks (1996-2008)
A rundown of all Supplemental Picks awarded to the Astros over the past 13 years:

1998: Brad Lidge, RHP / Notre Dame (1st Round / 17th Overall Pick)
1998: Mike Nannini, RHP / Green Valley (NV) High School (1st Round / 37th Overall Pick)
Both Lidge and Nannini were awarded for the loss of free agent Daryl Kile.

1999: Mike Rosamond, OF / Mississippi (1st Round / 42nd Overall Pick)
1999: James Perez, C / Seymour (CT) High School (2nd Round / 55th Overall Pick)
Both Rosamond and Perez were awarded for the loss of free agent Randy Johnson.

2005: Eli Iorg, OF / Tennessee (1st Round / 38th Overall Pick)
2005: Thomas Manzella, SS / Tulane (3rd Round / 89th Overall Pick)
Both Iorg and Manzella were awarded for the loss of free agent Carlos Beltran.

2008: Jordan Lyles, RHP / Hartsville (SC) High School (1st Round / 38th Overall Pick)
Lyles was awarded for the loss of free agent Trever Miller.

2008: Ross Seaton, RHP / Second Baptist (TX) School (3rd Round / 109th Overall Pick)
Seaton was awarded for the loss of free agent Brandon Workman.

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Round of Good Fortune

20th Round

The Astros landed three Major League contributors in the last 13 years in the 20th round in Wade Miller (‘96), Tim Redding (‘97) and J.R. Towles (‘04).

Round of Misfortune

3rd Round

Typically a round that teams are successful every two to three years in cultivating a Major Leaguer from, the only Major Leaguer from this round from ‘96 to ‘08 was Kirk Saarloos, drafted in ‘01. Thomas Manzella (‘05) has the potential to crack the Major League roster and improve on the Astros’ lack of success in this round.