Virginia Tech junior outfielder Austin Wates was picked by the Houston Astros in the third round of the Major League Baseball draft Tuesday (90th pick overall).

Wates, a Richmond native, is the highest Hokies player drafted since pitcher Joe Saunders was chosen in the first round (12th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2002.

Still, the 6-foot-1, 174-pound Wates waited a little longer than expected to hear his named called. Keith Law, ESPN’s baseball draft guru, had Wates rated No. 24 on his top 100 draft prospects list.

Here’s what the MLB.com scouting report said about Wates: “Wates is a rare breed: a toolsy college hitter. The Virginia Tech standout’s best tool is his speed and he should be a base-stealing threat at the next level. He can swing the bat, too, and projects to hit for more than enough average.

“What he’s not going to do is hit for a ton of power. That, and his lack of a true position – he’s playing first and left field (actually, he played more right field than left field in 2010) this season – are the only real knocks against him. He has the skills to play left full-time and could be a future table setter. Those are always in high demand, so don’t expect Wates to last long on Draft day.”

Wates led the Hokies with a .382 batting average this season. He hit eight home runs and had 54 RBIs, which both tied for third most on the team. He also hit a team-high five triples, 14 doubles, scored 61 runs and had a .981 fielding percentage, third best of the Hokies’ starters.

He settled in at right field after spending time at first base and left field during the first half of the season. He started at right field in 35 of the Hokies’ final 37 games and committed only one error during that span.

Wates had a stellar 2010 postseason, batting .481 (13-for-27) with eight runs scored and six RBIs. He was named to both the ACC’s all-tournament team and to the NCAA Tournament’s all-regional team for the Columbia, S.C., regional.

After the Hokies were eliminated from the NCAAs on Sunday night by South Carolina, Wates credited Tech coach Pete Hughes for the influence he had on his career.

“I had a huge a confidence problem coming into baseball in college, and there’s no other guy I can credit than this man right here (Hughes) to how much confidence I have as a baseball player and as an overall person,” Wates said.