Mets Select Shortstop Colin Houck 32nd Overall

With their first selection in the 2023 MLB Amateur Draft, the New York Mets selected shortstop Colin Houck out of Parkview High School (GA), making him the 32nd overall selection. Houck, 18, stands in at six-foot-two and 190 pounds. He is currently committed to Mississippi State.

SS Colin Houck (Parkview HS (GA), 2023) smokes one into the gap for an RBI standup double. Highly athletic tooled up prep bat, potential first rounder if he gets buy in on the glove at SS. Mississippi State commit. pic.twitter.com/pPMqFGrUHS

— Will Hoefer (@whoeferbaseball) February 20, 2023

Houck was the 2023 Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year. Naturally with winning the award, he put up an impressive senior year at Parkview with a 1.446 OPS his senior year. He also played on the school’s football team, earning 12 Division I offers from the likes of Virginia Tech, Miami (FL), Arkansas, among other programs. His profile is an athletic one that gives him the ability to grow into more power as he gets older.

In speaking to a scout who has analyzed Houck closely, he raved about his ability to hit velocity well, while also having a good deal of raw power. He should stay at shortstop for a decent chunk to the start his career, but there is some concern over whether or not he will stick at shortstop longterm, with moving to another infield position, likely second or third base, as a possibility. 

2023 GA SS Colin Houck legs one out here. Even when his contact isn’t ideal, he always maintains quality posture and connection. Game power will come with time; has been one of the best hitters in Georgia for three years now.

Athlete ✅
Makeup ✅
Pure Bat ✅ pic.twitter.com/honZf1rkef

— Hudson Belinsky (@hudsonbelinsky) October 8, 2022

Houck ranked as MLB Pipeline’s 12th-best prospect in the draft, Perfect Game’s 13th, and The Athletic had him at number 21. Keith Law of The Athletic noted the possibility of Houck moving off shortstop, but said it is possible that he stays on the infield. He also mentioned that if Houck, “develops some pitch and ball/strike recognition the Mets may have gotten a top-15 talent without having a first-round pick.”

As a two-sport athlete, as mentioned above, Houck has offers to play football at Power Five schools. In talking about his balance between the two sports, Houck said:

“It was just a decision that me and my family made. I just to decided to kind of become the best baseball player I can be. That’s what I wanted. I’m pretty set on doing baseball, but I will be playing football my senior year of high school.”

Now, taken at the 32nd pick, Houck was rumored to have dropped due to sign-ability, mainly an asking price that teams in his initial range were not said to be comfortable meeting. Houck fell to the Mets, who should have no issue allocating a good chunk of the signing bonus pool to the Georgian shortstop. 

Houck immediately figures into the top of the Mets’ prospect list, and will become another can’t-miss prospect in their system.

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