Astros land another early draft pick

HOUSTON - Former Michigan left-handed pitcher Brett Adcock, the Astros’ fourth-round pick in the MLB First-Year Player Draft, told FOX 26 Sports he has reached a contract agreement with the team.

Adcock said he took a little less than the amount slotted ($459,700) for pick 127.

“A little bit below slot, but it was a good deal,” Adcock said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports.

“It feels good. It’s a pretty surreal moment. It kind of just set in (Sunday) when I got a call from (Astros general manager) Mr. (Jeff) Luhnow, and the scout said when I would get down on Tuesday.  I think it kind of hit me then.

Adcock said he’s headed to Orlando, Fla. where he will get his physical and sign his contract.

He said it was great hearing from Luhnow.

“It was cool,” Adcock said. “I talked to him a little bit during the year. So it was cool getting a call from him, locking it all in place.

Adcock, a junior, still had one year of eligibility left at Michigan.

He said it was not an easy decision to leave college.

“The last few years have been the best years of my life,” Adcock said. “It was definitely hard to do it, but I think it was time for me to take the next step.

“It’s a dream of any kid growing up. I knew going to Michigan out of high school would be my best chance to get to the place I am now. I’m thankful for the coaches throughout my career and all of my family and friends who supported me.”

Adcock, who was 7-5 in 2016, with  a 3.22 ERA, said he does not really pattern his style of play like any one pitcher, but he enjoys watching guys like  Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw who he saw early in Kershaw’s career.

“I actually got to watch Kershaw play for the (Midland, Mich. Great Lakes) Loons, which is the Dodgers’ low-A team,” Adcock said. “Mom’s pride and joy, she has his Clayton Kershaw low-A bobblehead still in the box, hasn’t moved.”

Perhaps in the not-too-distant future Brett’s mother will have a bobblehead of him, which would certainly knock the Kershaw bobblehead down a peg or two.

Seven of the Astros’ top 10 draft picks have already reached  contract agreements, and the draft ended Saturday.

The picks who have yet to reach deals are No.1 Forrest Whitley, a right-handed pitcher from Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio, sixth-round pick Stephen Wrenn, outfielder from Georgia and seventh-round pick Tyler Bruffett, right-handed pitcher from Oklahoma State, who is headed to the College World Series.