Astros agree with first-round pick Bukauskas
The Astros have officially agreed to terms with right-hander J.B. Bukauskas, the No. 15 overall selection in the 2017 MLB Draft, for $3.6 million, according to MLBPipeline.com's Jim Callis. The slot value for the 15th overall pick is $3,588,200.
The 20-year-old Bukauskas pitched for the University of North Carolina, and he features a mid-90s fastball with what many consider the best slider in this year's Draft. He was selected as the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year.
• Astros' Draft tracker
Bukauskas also pitched for the U.S. collegiate national team last summer, displaying the most electric arm on the staff after posting a 12.8 strikeouts-per-nine-innings ratio for North Carolina in 2016. He was ranked No. 7 on MLBPipeline's Top 200 Draft Prospects list.
The Astros have signed 36 of their 42 selections from the 2017 Draft, including all 12 of their selections made within the top 10 rounds.<o:p>