2012 MLB Mock Draft: Under-the-Radar Picks That Will Pay Off for Wise Teams

Since most of the prospects MLB teams will be drafting next week are still at least a couple years away from making an impact in the major leagues, the most important thing is finding the most value possible regardless of position.

A lot of things will change between draft day and the time most of the players selected will make their debuts, so drafting for need should only be done in certain circumstances. Unless it's one of those rare times, teams are best off taking the top player available.

With that in mind, here's a full mock draft of the first round featuring three picks later in the round that will pay off nicely in the long run.

1. Houston Astros (56-106): Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford

Appel made a good choice to get some college experience under his belt, and he's now a more polished pitcher and worthy of the top overall pick.

2. Minnesota Twins (63-99): Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU

Another right-handed starter with a boatload of potential, Gausman has the stuff to become an ace. He must improve his control, though.

3. Seattle Mariners (67-95): Byron Buxton, OF, Appling County High School (Ga.)

The terms fans will hear most about Buxton is tools, and rightfully so. He has everything a team could want in a young outfielder.

4. Baltimore Orioles (69-93): Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy

Correa has a rare combination of speed, power and defensive ability that becomes even more impressive when you consider he's a shortstop.

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

Baltimore Orioles star Matt Wieters started of a new era of catchers who can do a little bit of everything. Zunino fits that mold perfectly.

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

Theo Epstein will eventually get the Cubs back into contention, but first he must stockpile the system with high-upside prospects like Almora.

7. San Diego Padres (71-91): Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard-Westlake HS (Calif.)

If not for an elbow injury, Giolito would have challenged Appel and Gausman to become the first pitcher selected. He still has top-10 talent.

8. Pittsburgh Pirates (72-90): Deven Marrero, SS, Arizona State

Marrero really helped his stock by showing an improved approach at the plate during his time with Arizona State, which should move him up the board.

9. Miami Marlins (72-90): Kyle Zimmer, RHP, San Francisco

The best thing about Zimmer is that he's already got a great fastball to use. Time in the minors should help his secondary pitches become more refined to match.

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

Teams are always looking for lefties, which could cause Fried to get selected even higher than the Rockies, but he shouldn't get past them.

11. Oakland Athletics (74-88): Courtney Hawkins, RF, Carroll HS (Texas)

It's going to take some time for Hawkins to work out the kinks in his swing, but his arm and power potential will make him worth the wait.

12. New York Mets (77-85): Gavin Cecchini, SS, Barbe HS (La.)

A spray hitter with good speed, Cecchini will need to add some bulk to survive the wear and tear of a 162-game season. Otherwise, there's a lot to like.

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

Shaffer already features great power to all fields. He'll become even more dangerous once he adds more strength to his frame.

14. Cincinnati Reds (79-83): Chris Stratton, RHP, Mississippi State

Originally slated to become a reliever, Stratton's seamless transition to the rotation makes him one of the most intriguing pitchers on the board.

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

Speaking of relievers, Stroman projects best as a future closer. That would also help him reach the big leagues quicker, since he already has two plus pitches.

16. Washington Nationals (80-81): Andrew Heaney, LHP, Oklahoma State

Heaney already has developed a solid curveball and reliable changeup. Once his fastball reaches that same level, he'll be ready to roll.

17. Toronto Blue Jays (81-81): Matt Smoral, LHP, Solon HS (Ohio)

Like so many top high school pitchers, Smoral has a fastball and change, but lacks a third pitch. That's what he needs to work on in the minors.

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

If a team is looking for a power pitcher, McCullers fits the role. His other offerings need work, but he already touches the upper 90s, which is a good start.

19. St. Louis Cardinals (90-72): Michael Wacha, RHP, Texas A&M

Wacha has a wide arsenal of pitches to choose from, but he'd benefit from cutting down to his best ones and making them more efficient moving forward.

20. San Francisco Giants (86-76): D.J. Davis, OF, Stone HS (Miss.)

Sometimes drafting on what you already know is the right course of action. That's the case with Davis. He's got everything a team looks for in a leadoff hitter and that's exactly what he projects as, nothing more and nothing less.

He has tremendous speed and has really improved his ability to battle through at-bats, which every player who hits atop the lineup card must do. He also has top-notch defensive skills that will only improve with experience.

Just like everybody else, he needs time to work his way up the ladder to become more sound at the plate. But once he's ready, he'll be a perfect fit for the leadoff spot for many years to come.

21. Atlanta Braves (89-73): Joey Gallo, 3B/RHP, Bishop Gorman HS (Nev.)

One of the best high school prospects in terms of pop, Gallo has the ability to move up if a team falls in love with that one attribute.

22. Toronto Blue Jays (81-81): Hunter Virant, LHP, Camarillo HS (Calif.)

A crafty lefty, Virant has a repeatable delivery and should still have plenty of room for development, which will be necessary to make his fastball more useful.

23. St. Louis Cardinals (90-72): Lucas Sims, RHP, Brookwood HS (Ga.)

Even though Sims needs to improve him command, he has an imposing presence on the mound and looks the part of a major-league starter.

24. Boston Red Sox (90-72): Carson Kelly, RHP/3B, Westview HS (Ore.)

Kelly has a chance to reach the majors no matter what direction he ends up taking. That makes him worth a flier deep in the round.

25. Tampa Bay Rays (91-71): Nolan Fontana, SS, Florida

If there's one player in this class that screams Rays, it's Fontana. He's not a flashy prospect, but he's scrappy and that's the type of player Joe Maddon seems to get the most out of by constantly putting them in positions to succeed.

The first thing that stands out is his defense. He can play multiple positions thanks to his range and arm. That versatility comes in handy during a long season when injuries are always going to have an impact on every team.

While he needs more time to develop at the plate, he should eventually become a solid line-drive hitter that can go from gap to gap. It won't always be pretty, but Fontana will get the job done.

26. Arizona Diamondbacks (94-68): Pierce Johnson, RHP, Missouri State

His stuff doesn't have the same “wow factor” as the class' top pitchers, but he should still settle into a major-league rotation before long.

27. Milwaukee Brewers (96-66): Stephen Piscotty, 3B, Stanford

The key for Piscotty will be starting to showcase more power in the minors, otherwise he doesn't fit the prototypical third baseman standard.

28. Milwaukee Brewers (96-66): Addison Russell, SS, Pace HS (Fla.)

Yet another shortstop with great tools. It's the deepest class for the position in awhile, making Russell a solid pick at this point.

29. Texas Rangers (96-66): Zach Eflin, RHP, Hagerty HS (Fla.)

Eflin needs some seasoning to refine his mechanics, but he's still pretty far along for a high school pitcher. Should slide into Round 1.

30. New York Yankees (97-65): Clint Coulter, C, Union HS (Wash.)

The reason Coulter sits on the first-round fringe instead of inside the top 15 is the time it's going to take before he's ready for the major leagues. He's still a raw talent who will need to get brought along slowly to reach his peak.

That's especially true considering he's a catcher, bringing an entirely different dynamic into play when it comes to handling a pitching staff. So, while he has all the tools to become a great catcher, patience will be the name of the game.

Luckily for the Yankees, they can afford to let Coulter work at his own pace. He will likely end up being one of the draft's biggest steals.

31. Boston Red Sox (90-72): Corey Seager, 3B, Northwest Cabarrus HS (N.C.)

The Red Sox could do a whole lot worse than Seager to finish the round. He has a good approach and should develop power as time goes on.