Canyon View High School righthander Mitch Talbot didn't put up the numbers he would have liked in his senior year.
Talbot, a second-team Deseret News All-State selection, finished 3-5 with an ERA near 3.00 with 57 strikeouts. His team only won five games.
But those weren't the numbers professional baseball scouts were looking at. They focused on his 88- to 94-mph fastball and nasty change-up.
Tuesday, the 6-foot-1 Talbot was selected in the second round by the Houston Astros in the Major League Baseball first-year player draft. He was the 70th pick overall.
"I was nervous about that," Talbot said. "I talked to the scouts about that and they said you can only do what you can do. They could see my talent by watching me pitch."
Talbot, who had signed at Dixie State before the draft, was the only Utah high schooler selected in the first 22 rounds, Tuesday. The draft continued Wednesday.
He said he expects to sign soon and will be assigned to the Rookie League.
"It turned out a lot better than I thought it was going to be," Talbot said.
Last year, Lehi's Royce Hampton was the only Utah high schooler selected in the first 20 rounds. He went in the 16th.
A total of 11 players with Utah connections went on the first day. Only seven went on the first day a year ago.