Overview

• Neyens becomes the first prep position player taken in Houston’s first round in a decade and its first high-school pick since pitcher Forrest Whitley in 2016.
• The 18-year-old left-handed hitter stands 6-foot-4, 210 pounds and earned top-25 prospect rankings from Baseball America (No. 19) and MLB Pipeline (No. 25) with his raw power.
• Scouting director Cam Pendino said Neyens’s pre-draft workout “put on a show,” highlighting the slugger’s bat speed and athletic tools.
• Houston views shortstop as Neyens’s primary development position but plans to shift him to third base if necessary to leverage his arm strength.
• The pick underscores the Astros’ emphasis on tool-rich prep talent to sustain system depth within a limited $7.18 million bonus pool.