MLB Draft 2012: A Profile of Potential First Pick Mark Appel

According to the latest mock draft from MLB.com, Mark Appel is the most likely No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming MLB draft.

The funny thing about Mark Appel is that 2012 is the first collegiate season he has really been dominant.

In 13 starts, he has a 9-1 record with a 2.45 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 105 innings. He has also held his opponents to a .215 batting average.

In 2011 as a sophomore, he only went 6-7 with a 3.02 ERA and 2-1 as freshman in 2010 with a 5.92 ERA out of the bullpen.

What then makes Mark Appel so special?

According to Kyle Boddy of Hardball Times, he has an arsenal with four strong pitches and "the tools to perform well in the big leagues." Boddy goes on to explain that his four seam fastball can touch triple digits and is complemented by a two seam fastball, slider and changeup that all have quite a bit of movement.

His performances during summer ball sessions are also very encouraging according to his biography on the Stanford website.

After his freshman year, he played for the Newport Gulls of the New England Collegiate Baseball League and went 6-1 with a 1.87 ERA. Then, he progressed through the Cape Cod League after his sophomore year where he played for Yarmouth-Dennis. While there, he surrendered just three runs in 20 innings.

No one can of course be certain as to whether or not the Houston Astros will really select Appel as the first overall choice in the 2012 MLB draft. However, with the raw ability that he has, it would not be surprising whatsoever to hear Appel called off the board first.

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