Growing up on a farm about an hour north of Seattle, Xavier Neyens cheered for the Mariners and is very aware of how the Astros have dominated the American League West division in the last decade. “I know they whip the Mariners every year in the AL West,

Neyens, 18, "has some of the best raw power of anyone in the high school class this year," The Athletic's Keith Law wrote.

With their first-round pick in the 2025 MLB draft, the Houston Astros selected shortstop Xavier Neyens at No. 21 overall out of Mount Vernon High School in Mount Vernon, Wash. Originally committed to play for Oregon State collegiately, he plans on forgoing that commitment to begin his professional career with the Astros.