2012 MLB Mock Draft: Complete First Round with Info on Each Pick

Are you wondering whom your favorite team might draft? Do you need more info on the potential stud they might land in the first round? Are you simply a hopeless draft-junkie, the type that does fantasy drafts in MLB: The Show, but never actually plays the season?

Me too. And that's why I've provided you with a first-round MLB mock that should clear up any questions you may have about the upcoming draft, or at least provide you with a bit more info heading into the event.

Let's dig in.

1. Houston Astros (56-106): Byron Buxton, OF (Appling County High School, Ga.)

A lot of folks think the Astros will take pitcher Mark Appel here, but I've always thought they should go after the player with a bigger upside in Byron Buxton, who projects potentially as a Justin Upton clone.

He's a five-tool prospect that seems to have a natural feel for the game and could be a home-run pick if the Astros are willing to be patient with him. Coming out of high school, he's obviously a bit of a project, but he's this draft's most worthy project in my opinion.

If I were the general manager, this would be my pick.

2. Minnesota Twins (63-99): Mark Appel, RHP (Stanford)

Appel heads into this draft as the best available college pitcher and possibly the best pitcher in the draft, period.

He still needs to sharpen his repertoire and work on his consistency, so he probably won't have the fastest path to the majors, but his raw stuff is impressive. He brings a mid-90s fastball, a sharp slider and a plus changeup with him.

I've compared him to Zack Greinke in the past, though he may have to add a pitch or two to make that comparison apt. But the stuff he is already working with is electric.

3. Seattle Mariners (67-95): Lucas Giolito, RHP (Harvard-Westlake School, Calif.)

There have been concerns over his elbow, but not about his ability. He has the potential to be this draft's best player, period.

He's hit 100 on the gun, but scared teams when he hurt his elbow in March. If that doesn't scare teams off—and Giolito decides against going to UCLA—a team could be getting a legitimate ace with this pick.

4. Baltimore Orioles (69-93):  Kevin Gausman, RHP (LSU)

How do these stats look to you from this season?

A 10-1 record in 107 2/3 innings pitched over 15 starts with a 2.84 ERA, 125 strikeouts and only 24 walks.

To the Orioles, they'll sound beautiful when they make him the team's first-round pick.

5. Kansas City Royals (71-91): Mike Zunino, C (Florida)

He was the SEC Player of the Year in 2011, and has continued with a strong 2012 campaign, hitting .323 with 16 home runs and 55 RBI.

I like to think of him as a Matt Wieters clone, though he may not have the upside some other players possess. Still, after being so dominant at the college level, a team knows they'll be getting a very solid prospect and probably the best position player in college baseball in Zunino.

6. Chicago Cubs (71-91): Albert Almora, OF (Marion Christian Academy, Fla.)

If you aren't a fan of five-tool outfielders with talent oozing out of every pore, Almora probably isn't your guy.

Here's a fun little tidbit for you, via MLB.com: "As a senior, he hit .606 with six homers and 35 RBIs for an 18-5 team."

Yeah, he's pretty good.

7. San Diego Padres (71-91): Kyle Zimmer, RHP (San Francisco)

His fastball has been clocked as high as 98 mph, and he also has a curveball, changeup and slider in his repertoire. Oh, and he had 104 strikeouts in 88 1/3 innings this year, so he misses bats.

8. Pittsburgh Pirates (72-90): Carlos Correa, SS (Puerto Rico)

He may not remain a shortstop—a switch to third base is likely—but he's got all the tools and is one of the elite prospects in this draft. If he drops to the Pirates, they'd be crazy not to pick him.

9. Miami Marlins (72-90): Courtney Hawkins, RF (Carroll High School, Texas)

Hawkins brings a lot of raw power to the plate, always tough to pass on at the draft.

10. Colorado Rockies (73-89):  Max Fried, LHP (Harvard-Westlake School, Calif.)

He's the best lefty coming out of high school in the draft, which makes him instantly appealing. Don't expect him to drop past the top 10 picks.

11. Oakland Athletics (74-88): Deven Marrero, SS (Arizona State)

Marrero had a disappointing season at Arizona State, dropping him from one of the top prospects in this draft to a player likely to see a bit of a drop. Still, he could go anywhere from No. 8 to the Pirates to somewhere in the late teens. 

12. New York Mets (77-85):  Michael Wacha, RHP (Texas A&M)

Wacha is about as polished as they come, and was an impressive 8-1 with a 2.21 ERA this season for Texas A&M. He could potentially make a fast transition to the bigs.

13. Chicago White Sox (79-83): Richie Shaffer, 3B (Clemson)

Shaffer's got pop, make no bones about that. He's got a good enough arm to stay at third or perhaps play in the corner outfield, but teams will figure that out later—his home run potential is what teams will covet.

14. Cincinnati Reds (79-83): Andrew Heaney, LHP (Oklahoma State)

He's the best lefty coming out of college in this draft, and was already named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year after compiling an 8-1 record with five complete games, three shutouts, a 1.63 ERA and 132 strikeouts in 110.1 innings.

Not bad, huh?

15. Cleveland Indians (80-82): Marcus Stroman, RHP (Duke)

The only reasons teams might hesitate in selecting Stroman in the top 10 is because of his small stature, which might end up leading him to a bullpen role.

Chris Gigley of MLB.com notes that Stroman might be in the majors sooner than later given his polished arsenal of pitches:

"

Stroman's delivery includes a short-arm motion that makes his fastball sneak up on hitters. Add to that a sharp slider and a circle changeup that has come a long way in the past year and Stroman has three big league-ready pitches. His arsenal is part of the reason several scouts have said he could pitch in the big leagues as soon as this year.

"

16. Washington Nationals (80-81): Chris Stratton, RHP (Mississippi State)

The Nationals have become quite proficient drafting college pitchers that produce in the big leagues. And Stratton went 11-1 for the Bulldogs in the strong SEC, so you know he's got game.

17. Toronto Blue Jays (81-81): Joey Gallo, 3B/RHP (Bishop Gorman High School, Nev.)

If you like your power hitters with a side of starting pitching potential, Joey Gallo is the prospect for you.

Alongside some serious pop, Gallo also boasts has a powerful arm capable of hitting the mid-90s. At this point, he projects as either a third basemen, right fielder or pitcher at the next level given his unique diversity on the diamond.

Options are always a good thing for a prospect and the team that drafts him.

18. Los Angeles Dodgers (82-79): Lance McCullers, Jr., RHP (Jesuit High School, Fla.)

His father was a relief pitcher in the big leagues, so he's got the bloodlines. Oh, and there is this, from Adam Berry of MLB.com:

"

As a star pitcher and shortstop in high school, McCullers would often embarrass opposing hitters. There was the time he finished a game with a 100 mph fastball, the time he started a game with a 96 mph heater and then finished at 98 mph, and the time he was still throwing 95 mph in the sixth inning of a 136-pitch outing after throwing 110 pitches through five frames.

"

In a word: impressive. Damned impressive.

19. St. Louis Cardinals (90-72): Gavin Cecchini, SS (Barbe High School, La.)*

The Cardinals have two picks in the first round, and both will probably be used to select bats. They'll start with Cecchini, who batted .413 with a .527 on-base percentage, seven home runs, 32 RBI and 31 stolen bases this year.

20. San Francisco Giants (86-76): Stephen Piscotty, 3B (Stanford)

Tom Fitzgerald from the San Francisco Chronicle will tell you pretty much everything you need to know about the versatile Piscotty (though the stats may be slightly outdated, since they were from May 25th):

"

He leads the No. 14 Cardinal in hitting (.335), on-base percentage (.425) and RBIs (53), a total that's third highest in the Pac-12. And that's only half of it.

Obviously figuring he was underutilized, Marquess made him a pitcher a little over a month ago and moved him into the starting rotation two weeks ago. He won both his starts and dropped his ERA to a sparkling 2.25. He has been named a finalist for the John Olerud Award, given to college baseball's top two-way player.

"

What's not to like about a player capable of helping a team in every conceivable way?

21. Atlanta Braves (89-73): Matt Smoral, LHP (Solon High School, Ohio)

He's a 6'8" lefty and throws a plus slider. Do I need to write anything else here?

22. Toronto Blue Jays (81-81): Zach Eflin, RHP (Hagerty High School, Fla.)**

If teams aren't concerned with the triceps tendinitis that shut him down in April, they'll be getting one of the most promising high school pitchers in this draft, and probably for a bargain a bit down the board.

23. St. Louis Cardinals (90-72): David Dahl, OF (Oak Mountain High School, Ala.)

He's been compared by some to Johnny Damon, so he obviously has solid speed, power to the alleys and an epic beard.

Well, at least two of the three.

24. Boston Red Sox (90-72): Addison Russell, SS (Pace High School, Fla.)

He's another prospect likely to be moved to third and will be drafted for his power potential.

25. Tampa Bay Rays (91-71): Lucas Sims, RHP (Brookwood High School, Ga.) 

He's 8-0 with a 1.09 ERA for Brookwood this year. I repeat: a 1.09 ERA. He's as consistent as high school pitchers come.

26. Arizona Diamondbacks (94-68): Stryker Trahan, C (Acadiana High School, La.)

Besides the best name in the draft, he is also considered by ESPN's Jason A. Churchill to be one of the best catching prospects coming out of high school in recent years. Of course, it won't matter if he remains committed to Ole Miss for next season.

27. Milwaukee Brewers (96-66): Pierce Johnson, RHP (Missouri State)***

He was only 3-6 this year, but he maintained a 2.58 ERA and surpassed the 100-strikeout plateau.

28. Milwaukee Brewers (96-66): Victor Roache, OF (Georgia Southern)

Though he missed most of the season with a broken wrist, he remains one of the scarier power hitters at the college level and could be a serious steal this late. 

29. Texas Rangers (96-66): D.J. Davis, OF (Stone County High School, Miss.)

Davis can fly, and looks like the prototypical major league leadoff hitter.

30. New York Yankees (97-65): Corey Seager, 3B (Northwest Cabarrus High School, N.C.

He's the younger brother of Seattle Mariners third basemen Kyle Seager, so he's got the pedigree. And he's already bigger than his older brother, and may end up being the better player someday.

31. Boston Red Sox (90-72): Carson Kelly, 3B (Westview High School, Ore.)****

Like Gallo, Kelly has potential as both a position player and pitcher, which should make him appealing for a team at the end of the first round.

*Compensation from Los Angeles Angels for Albert Pujols.

**Compensation for failing to sign 2011 first-round pick Tyler Beede.

***Compensation from Detroit for Prince Fielder.

****Compensation from Philadelphia for Jonathan Papelbon.

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