Houston Astros: Can J.B. Bukauskas become a future ace?

The Houston Astros used its first-round pick on a pitcher ranked in the top-10 draft prospects. And the North Carolina product did nothing but impress everyone during his final college season. Will that success eventually transfer into the big leagues?

The Houston Astros tend to think about the future. Before the club revamped its roster and became contenders, it bought into building up its farm with hopes that it would pay off.

A World Series championship offers the only evidence needed to prove that it worked.

But to maintain the pedigree, prospects must develop and bloom or new players must be acquired – both offense and defense. The offense will be fine, with a medley of hard hitters settling into the system. The Astros pitching staff shouldn’t be an issue in the future either, as several highly-touted players wait for their chance at a promotion.

J.B. Bukauskas could be more than just another above-average asset. He could be the team’s future ace or shutdown closer.

North Carolina dubbed the junior as the team’s No. 1 starter this past season. The ACC Pitcher of the Year never disappointed in 2017, posting an inane 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings. His 2.02 ERA ranked 22nd in the nation, yet he faced much tougher competition than many of those listed above him.

Bukauskas finished with a flawless 9-0 record and allowed hitters to bat a minuscule .186 overall. Through his first five games last season, he whiffed more than eight hitters in four of them to garner even more attention than he already had.

Several scouting websites billed Bukauskas as one of the top-10 options in this year’s MLB draft. Baseball America had him in the No. 6 spot overall in a mock draft, while MLB.com put him as the No. 7 overall prospect.

Yet, Bukauskas fell to the Astros at pick No. 15. Five pitchers finished ahead of him in the draft, just one of which was a college player – Kyle Wright from Vanderbilt. Hence, it shows how much better he was than the average college starter.

Of course, he does have some kinks to work out. The most prominent hurdle the North Carolina product faces is his control.

His accuracy isn’t elite, as he tossed a team-high 12 wild pitches. Even though he only yielded 33 walks in 99 2/3 innings, he still has to develop his pitch placement, especially with his slider and changeup.

Nevertheless, Bukauskas still possesses a valuable weapon most young starters have – a blow-by heater. His fastball sits in the mid-90s but reportedly reached the 97-98 realm at times in high school.

Some scouts doubt he will be invaluable as a starter because of his frame, but some disagreed, comparing him to Sonny Gray. Whether as a reliever or starter, he has a bright future.

Fans can likely disregard his stats in the minors from this past season, as he logged just 10 innings across three stars in Rookie and A-Ball.

However, he allowed just three runs in those innings, showing some of his prowess on the bump.

Some high draft picks busted, while others proved to pan out well. There will be some pitchers like Mark Appel, but there will also be others that turn into a Stephen Strasburg.

Bukauskas has a premier crew of coaches that should help turn him into yet another vital pitcher for the Astros. He has the tools to become another solid starter in the rotation or a late-inning phenom.

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All he needs is some guidance and a resilient work ethic. In a few years, it could all pay off for him and his club.