by J.T. Toth
Photo courtesy of Perfect Game.
The Pittsburgh Pirates own the #1 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, which is scheduled for July 9th-July 11th in Seattle, WA. This draft could be the final piece of GM Ben Cherington’s puzzle to catapult the Bucs into a yearly contender.
In the next few weeks, Draft 412 will showcase the top prospects coming out in 2023.
Name- Colin Houck
Pos-SS B-R T-R
Team- Parkview H.S. (GA)
HT/WT- 6’3” 195 lbs.
Born- 9/30/2004
Home – Lilburn, GA.
Colin Houck is one of the best two-sport stars coming out of high school in 2023. Houck is the quarterback at Parkview H.S. and has been offered a scholarship to play football at Georgia Tech. Baseball is Houck’s calling card though, and he has committed to Mississippi State to play baseball for the Bulldogs.
Houck had an excellent junior season that put him on the scouts' radar. Houck hit .412 with 15 home runs and 44 RBI’s, while also throwing for 2,142 yards and 19 touchdowns in the fall. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year this past season after hitting .487 with 8 home runs and 50 RBI’s, while he also set the career record for passing yards at Parkview. He’s another in a long line of baseball stars to come out of Parkview, which has produced 4 major league hitters, including Atlanta Braves slugger, Matt Olson.
Houck has quick hands and a powerful swing, which helps him as a power hitter. More of a “pull hitter,” he tries pulling outside pitches. which at times takes away from his power. He will need to learn to drive the ball where it is pitched. He also has a tendency to swing and miss more than scouts would like to see, and many think that once he commits to an only-baseball regimen, his issues here can be fixed.
Houck has plus running ability and a cannon for an arm and has the ability to play shortstop at the next level. He covers a lot of ground as a plus defender at third base if he outgrows shortstop, and he’s an above average runner who can be a possible 20/20 player in the big leagues.
Draft 412’s MLB comparison to Colin Houck is Manny Machado which is evident in Houck’s infield drills and the way the ball explodes off his bat from the right side.
Final Analysis
Once Houck is focused solely on baseball, his game has the potential to rise to another level. He may outgrow shortstop, but has the power to put up 30-35 home runs as a third baseman. He will be in the mix with the other top prep hitters, and Draft 412 does not see him falling out of the top 20.
Round 1- #18 on Draft 412’s big board.