HOUSTON – The Houston Astros made four selections in the 2020 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft tonight, selecting right-handed pitcher Alex Santos (Second Round Compensation), right-handed pitcher Tyler Brown (third round), outfielder Zach Daniels (fourth round) and shortstop Shay Whitcomb (fifth round).
Santos, 18, was drafted out of Mount Saint Michael Academy in the Bronx, NY. Santos had his high school senior season canceled in 2020, but did play on the International circuit last summer, earning a spot on the 2019 USA Baseball’s 40-man 18U National Team Trials Roster. Entering the draft, Santos was ranked as the 15th overall high school prospect by Baseball America and as the 56th overall player in the draft by MLB Pipeline.
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Brown, 21, pitched in seven games for Vanderbilt during his junior year prior to the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA season, posting a 1-2 record with one save, a 2.53 ERA (3ER/10.2IP), four walks and 14 strikeouts. A 2020 First Team Preseason All-American selection by both D1Baseball and Perfect Game, Brown was ranked as a top-100 prospect in the 2020 MLB Draft class by Baseball America. During his 2019 sophomore season, Brown set a Vanderbilt single-season record with 17 saves, which also led the Southeastern Conference and ranked second in the nation. Brown’s 21 career saves at Vanderbilt are the second-most all-time in the school’s history.
Daniels, 21, appeared in 17 games in what was his junior year at Tennessee this season. In those games, he recorded a .357 (20x56) batting average with four home runs and 18 RBI. Daniels was named the 2020 Round Rock Classic MVP after batting .333 (4x12) with one home run and three RBI. D1Baseball had Daniels rated as the 48th overall MLB Draft prospect.
Whitcomb, 21, batted .333 (27x81) with four doubles, five homers, 15 RBI and a 1.008 OPS (.440 OBP/.568 SLG) in 20 games for the Division II University of California San Diego Tritons as a junior during the shortened 2020 season. Whitcomb was named to the 2020 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) All-Star Team, was named the 2019 CCAA Most Valuable Player, and was tabbed the 2018 CCAA Freshman of the Year. During the summer of 2019, Whitcomb played for the Orleans Firebirds in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League.