With the 1st pick in the 8th Round (249th overall), the Astros select 5'11" 205lb switch-hitting catcher Tyler Heineman, a Junior out of UCLA, with a hometown of Pacific Palisades, California.
*Heineman turned down a partial scholarship from Harvard to walk-on at nearby UCLA.
*Heineman started all 54 games he appeared in during the 2012 season (so far), hitting .351/.451/.412, with nine extra-base hits, 14K:20BB, with 17 HBPs, and 16 sacrifice hits.
*Heineman:
“I know my game isn’t flashy. As much as I want to be that superstar power hitter, I know that’s not who I am. I understand who I am as a player.”
*His uncle played at Arizona State (of course), and he admires gritty infielder David Eckstein - which we'll try not to hold against him. Heineman threw out 41% of baserunners while making just two errors behind the plate.
*MLBDraftCountdown called him "one of the most underappreciated catchers in college baseball." And he's one of the 12 semifinalists for the Johnny Bench Award (best collegiate catcher).
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
