2012 MLB Mock Draft: Underrated Studs with All-Star Potential

Every player taken in the first round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft has enough upside and potential to make an All-Star team at some point in their career. 

We know that not all 31 selections will make the big leagues, let alone an All-Star team, so teams have to make sure their scouting and development team does its best to ensure its pick isn't the one that doesn't stick. 

Here is a look at the latest mock draft, with a look at some of the underrated players with All-Star upside.

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

Appel strikes me as more of a good No. 3 than a top-of-the-rotation arm. There is value in that kind of player, but definitely not with the first overall selection. The Astros want someone who can contribute quickly, so Appel will be the pick. 

2. Minnesota Twins (63-99): Byron Buxton, OF, Appling County High School (GA)

Buxton has the highest upside of anyone in this draft—no one will deny that. He is just not an underrated stud. 

3. Seattle Mariners (67-95): Mike Zunino, C, Florida 

Zunino does not have a lot of standout tools that make you stop in your tracks. Instead, he does everything well and will stay behind the plate in pro ball. He will make an All-Star team in his prime. 

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

With the Orioles needing to add more high-upside talent to their top-heavy system, Correa is going to be the perfect fit for this team. He started the season a bit underrated. He has come on stronger than anyone as the process has gone along, entering the mix for the No. 1 overall pick. 

5. Kansas City Royals (71-91): Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU 

The best college pitcher in the draft, Gausman is going to be a No. 2 starter in the big leagues, with a good chance to play in the Midsummer Classic multiple times in the not-too-distant future. 

6. Chicago Cubs (71-91): Max Fried, LHP, Harvard-Westlake HS (CA) 

Fried has gone from a mid-first round prospect to surefire top-10 selection. His present stuff and projection make him as intriguing as any pitcher available in this class. His curveball is going to help him miss a lot of bats and sneak into at least a couple of All-Star games at his peak. 

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

Since there are so many things about Zimmer we don't know, I can't say he has All-Star potential anymore. If he can get back to throwing in the low- to mid-90s, Zimmer can get back to that level. Until we see it, you can't predict it. 

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

Plus defenders at shortstop who can handle the bat don't grow on trees. Marrero's disappointing performance at Arizona State this season notwithstanding, he still has the tools that made him a potential top-five pick before the season. 

Now that the draft is almost here, Marrero has entered that underrated territory. He is going to win a few Gold Glove awards in his day. As long as he is able to keep his average respectable—he is not going to hit for power—he will be an All-Star. 

9. Miami Marlins (72-90): Albert Almora, OF, Marion Christian Academy (FL) 

Almora certainly has the ceiling of a star as a good defender in center with the approach, bat speed and power to be an offensive force too. 

10. Colorado Rockies (73-89): Courtney Hawkins, RF, Carroll HS (TX)

If you believe in Hawkins' ability to make contact, he has the ceiling of an All-Star. Given his bat speed and ability to put the barrel of the bat on the ball, it would be foolish to bet against him right now. 

11. Oakland Athletics (74-88): Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard-Westlake (CA)

Until we know what Giolito's medicals look like, it is impossible to predict anything with him. He has more upside than any pitcher in this draft, but there are a lot of question marks right now. 

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

Cecchini's stock has been all over the place. He does have the ceiling of an above-average big leaguer, though he just misses out on that All-Star level. 

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

Despite Shaffer's rise up the draft boards, I still feel like there is more that he can do to hit that All-Star level as a player. He has the best power of any college hitter in this draft, with a strong approach at the plate to hit for average. 

His defense at third base is never going to be elite, though he will be above-average. As long as the offense develops as expected, Shaffer is going to be an All-Star at least once in his career. 

14. Cincinnati Reds (79-83): Marcus Stroman, RHP, Duke

Stroman is someone who can make an All-Star team as a starter or reliever, depending on what role his big league club sees fit to put him in. His size is the biggest knock against him, but the stuff is undeniable. 

In addition his power arm and strong lower half, Stroman already has command and control of all his pitches. Odds are good that he will be the first player from this draft to make the big leagues. 

If he starts, it is going to take time for him to get to an All-Star game. As a reliever, Stroman could potentially get to the game as fast as next year. 

15. Cleveland Indians (80-82): Andrew Heaney, LHP, Oklahoma State

Heaney is a solid prospect who will fit in to the middle of a rotation nicely. He is not going to be good enough to play in an All-Star game. 

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

Basically take the analysis for Heaney and plug it in here for Stratton. 

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

At 6'8", 225 pounds with a mid-90s fastball, Smoral certainly looks the part of an All-Star right now. I don't get the sense that he is going to be underrated on draft day. In fact, I can see a scenario where he goes much higher than No. 17. 

18. Los Angeles Dodgers (82-79): Joey Gallo, 3B/RHP, Bishop Gorman HS (NV)

Gallo should put up huge power numbers and could play average defense in right field thanks to his tremendous throwing arm. He just isn't going to put the ball in play enough to make an All-Star team. 

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

Wacha is virtually a finished product already, with one of the best changeups in the draft. His other pitches aren't going to be good enough to push him to the elite, All-Star level, though. 

20. San Francisco Giants (86-76):  Lance McCullers, RHP, Jesuit HS (FL)

Being on the draft radar for two years has given ample time for people dissect what McCullers can and can't do. He may not end up as a starter in pro ball, and his commitment to Florida could push him out of the first round, but a mid-90s fastball, slider-curveball combination and changeup are hard to pass up. 

21. Atlanta Braves (89-73): D.J. Davis, OF, Stone HS (MS)

Davis is exciting to watch because he has as much speed as anyone in the draft. The problem is, he doesn't have any power and will likely end up in left field. 

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

Virant looks the part of a sleeper—a young, highly projectable left-handed starter who is going to add velocity to his fastball as his body matures. If you believe in the development, he could turn into a good No. 2 starter. 

Since this draft is not loaded with a lot of elite, high-upside talent, Virant is exactly the kind of player who should be taken in the middle of the round by a team who is banking on future impact instead of more instant results. 

I like him a lot and believe he will be an All-Star in the future. 

23. St. Louis Cardinals (90-72): Nolan Fontana, SS, Florida 

Fontana does not have much ceiling, yet he should turn out to be a solid pro with a quality bat and glove at shortstop. 

24. Boston Red Sox (90-72): Tyler Naquin, OF, Texas A&M

If Naquin was going to play center field, he would be in that star territory. Since his range will likely force him to a corner, he is going to be more solid than anything else. 

25. Tampa Bay Rays (91-71): Lucas Sims, RHP, Brookwood HS (GA) 

Sims has a good fastball right now, but he needs to develop a consistent offspeed pitch before we can say he looks like a star. 

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

Johnson doesn't have a lot of upside left, though he does have a good fastball-breaking ball combination that will play in the middle of a rotation. 

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

Piscotty will hit for average and some power. The defense won't be good enough to get him in that All-Star territory.

28. Milwaukee Brewers (96-66): Stryker Trahan, C, Acadiana HS (LA)

If Trahan did not struggle with the bat this season, he would fall into that underrated potential All-Star category. He has the raw tools in his pocket, but the results need to show up in pro ball before we determine anything. 

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

Eflin's impressive performance this year has brought a lot of optimism about his future. I like him, just not enough to declare him an All-Star. 

30. New York Yankees (97-65): Addison Russell, SS, Pace HS (FL)

Russell needs to fix some issues with his swing to be the power hitter we all think he can be. If he does that, he could turn into a star with a chance to play in an All-Star game. 

31. ****Boston Red Sox (90-72): Tanner Rahier, SS, Palm Desert HS (CA)

As long as Rahier's defense catches up to where his bat is right now, he will have a long, productive big league career. 

*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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