With the 1st pick of the 10th Round (287th overall), the Astros select 6'1" 170lb Austin Nicely, a LHP from Spotswood High School in Virgina.
He was a 2013 Rawlings 3rd Team All-American. Keith Law ranked him #78 in his Top 100, but interestingly he was not in Baseball America's Top 250.
Spotswood coach Mike Thompson had this to say about Nicely before his junior year:
"Austin is a rising junior who throws left-handed and is being clocked in the upper 80s. He has a very determined attitude on the mound and in the field. I had a senior pitcher last year who was excellent which is why Austin did not get as many starts, but he was still 3-2 with a 2.13 ERA as a sophomore. He struck out 28 in only 18 innings of work. He was all district and 2nd team all region as a DH which shows he is more than just a pitcher. I look forward to seeing Austin be ace #1 of our staff at Spotswood for the next 2 years. Austin also starts at quarterback on our football team, so you can imagine what kind of athlete he is. Austin is a great young man to have on a team and I cannot wait to see his leadership grow."
Jonathan Mayo says this:
"Nicely suffered a stress reaction in his back last spring and didn't play all of last summer. He returned to the mound in time for late-fall showcases and has been healthy this spring. Nicely's fastball generally sits in the upper-80s, occasionally touching 91 mph. The left-hander also throws a changeup and curveball, both of which need work. Nicely has good athleticism and helped Spotswood High School to a runner-up finish in Virginia's Division III state basketball tournament. In time, Nicely could add velocity as he gets stronger and eventually have three solid offerings. He is committed to Virginia."
His profile at Perfect Game USA is here.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
