MLB Draft 2012: Ranking Top 5 Position Players

The upcoming MLB draft does not lack for position players with the potential to make a big impact in the big leagues. 

There are some exciting prospects with five-tool athleticism. These guys will be flying off the draft boards early and making quick trips through the minors. 

Here are the five best position players in this draft pool. 

5. David Dahl, OF, Oak Mountain High School

Dahl is surprisingly advanced for a high school hitter. He has a great feel for the strike zone and has good pitch recognition. 

He has no problem identifying and hitting off-speed stuff. He is a potential 30-home-run, .300 hitter at the plate. 

Dahl is also a good outfielder. He has a solid arm and good instincts. His speed is also slightly above average. He is a possible fit at center, and a definite fit in right. 

4. Deven Marrero, SS, Arizona State

Marrero was a 17th-round pick by the Reds coming out of high school. He has done nothing but raise his stock while playing in college. 

He has good bat speed and is a nice gap, line-drive hitter. He needs to work on his pitch recognition and eye, but has the potential to be a .300 hitter. 

And his offense pales in comparison to his defense. He is a natural athlete who is smooth and efficient in the field. He has good range and footwork. He definitely has the glove to play short in the pros. 

He also has a great arm. 

3. Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy

Correa is 6'4" with a powerful bat and an amazing arm. He also has the quickness and glove to be a major-league shortstop. 

He is a gifted athlete. He is so smooth in the field that it is hard to tell he is even trying. He will not have elite range at short, but it will be adequate, and he will have one of the better arms in major-league infielders. 

He is tremendous at the plate and has power to all fields. He will have to improve his eye at the plate, but he has the potential to be a 30-to-40 home-run guy. 

2. Mike Zunino, C, Florida

The reigning SEC Player of the Year is the kind of catching prospect teams dream about. He has the perfect body for the position and all the physical tools. 

He is excellent behind the plate. He has a good glove and covers a lot of ground. He also has natural leadership skills. 

Zunino is also great at the plate. He doesn't have a ton of loft on his swing, which means he may only be a 20-to-25 home-run guy, but he does have good power. He will own the gaps and get plenty of doubles. 

He also has an excellent eye and will always have a solid on-base percentage. 

1. Byron Buxton, OF, Appling High School

Buxton has the tools to be a legit five-tool player. He is a natural and fluid athlete. He covers a ton of ground in the outfield and has natural ball-tracking ability. He also has a great arm. 

Buxton has natural power in his swing and great hand-eye coordination. He is a bit raw at the plate, though. 

He will need to work on driving the ball to the opposite field and will definitely have to adjust to the elite breaking balls of professional pitchers, but his athleticism and natural ability is enough to ease the minds of anyone concerned about these things.