MLB Draft 2012: Teams Best Positioned to Solidify Long-Term Success

The Los Angeles Dodgers are among a small group of teams that have a golden opportunity this summer. That opportunity comes in the form of long-term success and laying its foundation via the draft.

Longevity is hard to come by in baseball, especially with so many Minor League teams and prospects in the farm system.

Fortunately for the Cardinals, Blue Jays, Pirates and Dodgers, each team is positioned quite well for a promising future courtesy of the 2012 MLB Draft.

St. Louis Cardinals

With three selections in the first 36 picks and five in the first 60, the St. Louis Cardinals are in prime position to quickly get over the departure of Albert Pujols.

Pitching right now is a minor but wary concern as the Cardinals are currently 14th in ERA and have allowed 205 runs. Now although that total is ninth-best in all of Major League Baseball, St. Louis ranks third in their own division.

Making a definite improvement to pitching depth will only help as the offense remains stellar. Prospects such as Michael Wacha, Joey Gallo and Lance McCullers are well-suited to bring more youth to the Cardinals' mound.

Toronto Blue Jays

Currently sitting at 27-24 and just two games out of first place as we begin June, the Toronto Blue Jays also have two first-round selections in the draft.

As solidly as the Jays have played thus far in 2012, they can still make big improvements. Their offense is a concern, as Toronto hits below .245 as a team and ranks even lower for on-base percentage.

A couple of prospects the Blue Jays must strongly keep an eye on are David Dahl and Gavin Cecchini. Both can produce well at the plate from the start and get on base to set up the rest of the lineup. In the tough AL East, it never hurts to have batting depth for the long haul.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The 2011 MLB season for the Pittsburgh Pirates displayed how promising their future can be. The Buccos were in the NL Central mix until roughly the All-Star break, but then unfortunately faded away.

On the bright side, Pittsburgh is back and rolling again in 2012, sitting third in the division with a .500 record as June begins. The Pirates also have the No. 8 overall pick in the draft and can significantly upgrade the offense.

The pitching is among the best in baseball right now and the offense among the worst. Getting a guy like Albert Almora or Deven Marrero will suffice, as both have strong bats and can contribute well defensively.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The way the Dodgers are playing right now, it's almost unfair that they have a top-20 pick in the draft.

Currently atop the NL West and owners of baseball's best record, Los Angeles has virtually no holes in its pitching but could use some more offensive prowess. L.A. is 12th in runs scored and 10th in slugging percentage, and more offense is needed to assist the pitching.

Stanford's Stephen Piscotty is arguably the best fit right now as he can drive the ball to any part of the field. This will drastically increase the Dodgers' explosiveness and help out the pitching staff earlier in games.

John Rozum on Twitter.