J.B. Bukauskas Falls To Eager Astros

The Astros showed five years ago they weren’t afraid to draft undersized righthanders when they picked Lance McCullers Jr. with the 41st overall selection.

They reaffirmed that stance this year when they used the 15th overall pick on North Carolina righthander J.B. Bukauskas, who has drawn comparisons with McCullers and, more commonly, the Athletics’ Sonny Gray.

The 20-year-old Bukauskas is listed at 6 feet and 195 pounds but has a power right arm. The Astros consider both his fastball, which sits 93-94 mph but which they’ve clocked up to 98, and his hard slider as plus pitches.

“I think when you have the stuff and the skills, it doesn’t matter what size you are,” said Mike Elias, the Astros’ assistant general manager and director of scouting and player development. “I think that’s been proven over and over. And he’s plenty big. But it’s all about for us the results and the stuff coming of your hand.”

Elias saw Bukauskas pitch personally “numerous times” over the pitcher’s three seasons starting at UNC. Astros director of player personnel Quinton McCracken, senior scouting advisor Charlie Gonzalez and special assistant to the GM Sig Mejdal also scouted Bukauskas to supplement the coverage of area scout Tim Bittner.

“From the start, after the anthem, once he takes the mound he’s very cool, he’s very under control. But it’s a determined look,” Bittner said. “He’s all business on the mound. I would kind of call him like a quiet bulldog. Very few things rattle him, whether he’s getting squeezed or things are going on behind him, he’s a guy who keeps his head and he stays the course throughout the game.”

The development of Bukauskas’ third pitch, his changeup, figures to be key to his development as a starter. Elias said the Astros view the pitch as having above-average potential.

“To get that kind of power stuff in the middle of the first round is a coup for us,” Elias said. “We had him rated as an early first-round talent.”