2012 MLB Draft: Essential Guide to the First Round

Unlike the made-for-TV events that have been created out of the NFL and NBA drafts, the MLB draft is old school.

The buzz isn’t nearly as big and nobody really knows more than a handful of names. Besides, do you think today’s ADD society could handle 40 rounds of this?

Just because you don’t know the players, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t tune in.

The MLB draft will begin on Monday, June 4 at 7 p.m. ET, and it will air on the MLB Network. It will be your chance to get a real glimpse into what your organization is thinking about when planning for the future.

Are they taking on young and raw prospects that will take years to develop? Or are they drafting collegiate juniors and seniors that will help the big league team in two years?  

It’s the number one question every team is contemplating right now.

The three-day event conducts Round 1 on Monday, Rounds 2-15 on Tuesday and Rounds 16-40 on Wednesday.

This is a huge event and this year the focus is on high school talent. In the latest mock draft by MyMlbDraft.com, over half of the first round is straight out of high school, a trend that has been growing in recent years.

The draft order is based on the results of last year. Here is the top five (click here for full first round):

1. Houston Astros (56-106)

2. Minnesota Twins (63-99)

3. Seattle Mariners (67-95)

4. Baltimore Orioles (69-93)

5. Kansas City Royals (71-91)

Top Prospects

The No. 1 talent that everyone is raving about is Byron Buxton from Appling County HS (GA).

This five-tool player has a sweet swing with power, speed and an outstanding glove. While he isn’t quite the next Bryce Harper, Buxton could be in the majors as early as 2014.

Right now the top pitching prospect is Stanford junior Mark Appel.

The 6’4’’ righty routinely throws in the mid-90s and has a very smooth delivery, which suggests injuries won’t be an issue at some point down the line.

The most MLB-ready hitter is Florida catcher Mike Zunino, whose father has been a scout in the big leagues for the last 22 years. He has natural instincts at the plate and the sort of stroke that could land him in the majors as early as next year.

Overall, there aren’t a ton of players on the cusp of making noise in the near future, but like every draft, there are plenty of players with the potential to eventually become stars in the big leagues.

The Astros are on the clock and I’d be shocked if they didn’t go for the power-pitcher Appel, who can help their young franchise sooner rather than later.

Click here for the top 100 prospects according to MLB.com.

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