HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Astros have signed two of their 2019 MLB Draft selections today in second-round pick SS Grae Kessinger and fourth-round pick CF Colin Barber. Terms of the deals were not disclosed. The announcement was made by President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Jeff Luhnow.

Kessinger and Barber will be available to media today following Astros batting practice at approximately 5 p.m. on the field at Minute Maid Park.

A 21-year-old junior out of the University of Mississippi , Kessinger was drafted by Houston with the 68th overall pick in the second round of the draft. In 2019, Kessinger started in 65 games, posting a team-high .332 batting average with 47 RBI, 18 doubles and 16 stolen bases for the Rebels. His .405 batting average and .472 on-base percentage in conference play both ranked second in the SEC. Kessinger won the 2019 Brooks Wallace Award, which is awarded annually to the top collegiate shortstop in the nation. Current Houston Astros All-Star Alex Bregman won the award in 2013 as a freshman at LSU. Kessinger was also a Third Team All-American, Ole Miss Team MVP, and a finalist for the C Spire Ferriss Trophy, which is awarded to the state of Mississippi’s best college baseball player.

Barber was selected by the Astros with the 136th overall pick in the fourth round of the draft out of Pleasant Valley High School in California. In 2019, Barber was named the MVP of his conference after batting .493 (37x75) with 10 home runs, 42 RBI, and a 1.647 OPS in 27 games. During Barber’s high school career, he hit .470 (110x234) in 82 games. Barber garnered numerous accolades during his outstanding high school career, such as Rawlings Perfect Game 2019 California Preseason All-Region 1st Team and High Honorable Mention on Rawlings Perfect Game Preseason Underclassmen All-American Teams in 2016, 2017 and 2018. He also participated in the 2018 Perfect Game National Showcase in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he was named to the Showcase Top Prospect Team.

ABOUT GRAE KESSINGER
Position: Shortstop
Bats/Throws: Right/Right
Height/Weight: 6-2/200
Age: 21
College: University of Mississippi

ABOUT COLIN BARBER
Position: Center fielder
Bats/Throws: Left/Left
Height/Weight: 6-0/185
Age: 18
High School: Pleasant Valley HS (CA)

Following the signings of Kessinger and Barber, the Astros have signed 19 of their 40 selections from the 2019 MLB Draft.

Signed Astros Draft Picks from the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft

Rnd (Pick) Player School Ht/Wt Date Signed

1 (32) C Korey Lee University of California-Berkeley 6-2/205 6/12

2 (68) SS Grae Kessinger University of Mississippi 6-2/200 6/14

4 (136) CF Colin Barber Pleasant Valley HS (CA) 6-0/185 6/14

5 (166) RHP Hunter Brown Wayne State University 6-2/203 6/10

6 (196) CF Matthew Barefoot Campbell University 6-0/205 6/12

7 (226) RHP Blair Henley University of Texas 6-3/190 6/12

8 (256) CF Luis Guerrero Miami Dade CC Kendall (FL) 5-11/185 6/12

10 (316) C C.J. Stubbs University of Southern California 6-3/200 6/12

12 (376) RHP Garrett Gayle Rice University 6-1/208 6/10

13 (406) RHP Kevin Holcomb Glendale College (CA) 6-5/210 6/10

14 (436) RHP Derek West University of Pittsburgh 6-5/230 6/12

15 (466) RHP Cole McDonald University of Iowa 6-1/220 6/12

17 (526) RHP Daniel Cody Baldwin-Wallace College (OH) 6-3/175 6/12

20 (616) RHP Alex Palmer Stephen F. Austin University 5-10/160 6/12

23 (706) 1B Zach Biermann Coastal Carolina University 6-3/225 6/12

24 (736) CF Preston Pavlica Grand Canyon University 6-1/210 6/12

26 (796) RHP Chandler Casey Lubbock Christian (TX) 6-2/195 6/12

27 (826) LHP Kevin Dickey Seminole State (OK) 6-4/195 6/12

34 (1036) SS A.J. Lee University of Maryland 5-11/180 6/12