Who Was Astros' Best Selection After First Round of MLB Draft?

The 2025 MLB draft presented some unique challenges for the Houston Astros, who could certainly use an infusion of talent in their minor league system.

Not only were they lacking bonus pool funds to use to sign players, but their opportunities to add talent were few and far between in the early part of the draft.

The Astros had only two selections in the first three rounds -- Nos. 21 and 95 overall -- as they were without a second-round pick this year.

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With their first-round pick, they selected shortstop Xavier Neyens out of Mount Vernon High School in Mount Vernon, Wash.

That selection drew a lot of positive feedback given the immense power potential he possesses for a shortstop. He also offered some funny quotes as a Seattle Mariners fan who will now be looking to beat his favorite team growing up.

Another player who has drawn positive attention is Ethan Frey, an outfielder who was selected with the 95th pick out of LSU.

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The talented slugger was highlighted by R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports as Houston’s best pick outside of the first round, and it is easy to see why.

He had a big season with the Tigers in 2025, finally putting together all of his tools and producing at a high level.

Frey had a .331/.420/.641 slash line in 212 plate appearances with 13 home runs, 15 doubles and one triple to go along with 50 RBI and four stolen bases.

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That kind of offensive production is hard to ignore, showcasing the kind of run production that could eventually be near the middle of the Astros’ Major League lineup down the line.

However, there is one area of Frey’s game that needs to improve if he is going to reach his ceiling and maximize his potential.

“He did strike out more than 27% of the time during SEC play, which is a concerning development. There's enough power and on-base skills present here to make him worth the third-round gamble,” wrote Anderson.

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That is a higher strikeout rate than teams want to see when evaluating a prospect, but his overall walk rate -- 13.7% during the 2025 campaign -- provide a great base to build off.

Frey has shown some solid strike zone recognition, and if Houston can help him improve his bat-to-ball and contact rate, he has a great chance to develop into a solid Major League contributor.

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