2012 MLB Mock Draft: Top High School Prospects Most Likely to Be Busts

Busts happen.

Scouts spend hours and hours breaking down a prospect's strengths and weaknesses, but when it’s all said and done, busts always manage to fool even the most skilled scouts. Here’s a 2012 first-round MLB mock draft highlighting the prospects with the highest odds to never live up to their potential.

1. Houston Astros: Byron Buxton (OF, HS)

Buxton has so many tools that he could play professional baseball and, at the same time, work at Home Depot part-time.

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

Like doctors always say, an Appel a day keeps base runners from crossing the plate.

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

Zunino is such a stud catcher that you’d think he’d be a Jr. and his dad would be Mike Piazza.

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

Scouts call Gausman the Triple-Digit Sniffer because his fastball reaches speeds up to 99 mph.

5. Kansas City Royals: Kyle Zimmer (RHP, USF)

Zimmer definitely has the durability of a starting pitcher. In fact, he defines the term. He even drives a Ford truck to class every day.

6. Chicago Cubs: Carlos Correa (SS, HS)

Correa went to high school at the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy. That has to have been the greatest high school experience ever.

7. San Diego Padres: Albert Almora (OF, HS)

Almora led the USA Baseball 18U National Team to a gold medal last fall in the COPABE 18U/AAA Pan American Championships. He won the tournament’s MVP along with the rights to be called Captain America.

8. Pittsburgh Pirates: Devin Marrero (SS, Arizona St.)

Marrero stole the title of "Best Sun Devil’s Defender" away from Vontaze Burfict this past year with ease. 

                                                                                                                    

9. Miami Marlins: Max Fried (LHP, HS)

Max Fried isn’t just a name—it’s the beginning of a mad lib. Max Fried (batter’s name).

10. Colorado Rockies: Lucas Giolito (RHP, HS)

Potential bust numero uno is Lucas Giolito. 

When I say Giolito is kind of like a big deal, I mean he’s 6’6”, 230 pounds. Now, he definitely has the ability—his fastball reaches 96, and his curveball and changeup are lethal. You don’t draw comparisons to Roy Halladay if you’re a bum.

But when a prospect is compared to Halladay and isn’t a top-five lock, you know something is up. Giolito should’ve, could’ve and would’ve been selected first overall if it weren’t for a sprained ulnar collateral ligament.

Elbow injuries are a pitcher’s worst nightmare. Giolito’s ability to wake up will determine if he’s the next big bust.

11. Oakland Athletics: Richie Shaffer (3B, Clemson)

At 6’3”, 205 pounds and possessing a power-packed bat, Shaffer is probably the top pound-for-pound power hitter in the draft.

12. New York Mets: Stephen Piscotty (3B, Stanford)

Piscotty isn’t a delicate, flavorful Italian cookie—his bat isn’t as powerful as Shaffer’s, but it still packs a punch.

13. Chicago White Sox: Michael Wacha (RHP, Texas A&M)

Wacha goes hard on the Texas A&M mound (remix). He leaves batters stankin’.

14. Cincinnati Reds: Gavin Cecchini (SS, HS)

Running the bases, Cecchini is such a prolific thief that OJ Simpson attempted to sway him from his commitment to Mississippi.

15. Cleveland Indians: Courtney Hawkins (OF, HS)

Hawkins is capable of throwing a fastball at 90 mph. Translation: his cutoff man better have catcher-like reflexes.

16. Washington Nationals: Andrew Heaney (LHP, Oklahoma St.)

Heaney is one of the top southpaws in the draft class. I think all southpaws should be forced to attend Clemson.

17. Toronto Blue Jays: Zach Eflin (RHP, HS)

Eflin turns batters into whiff-machines—no high school pitcher boasts a better combination of fastball and changeup.

18. Los Angeles Dodgers: Matt Smoral (LHP, HS)

The 6’8” Smoral fractured his foot this spring, but he could cut it off and still be tall enough to play in the majors.

19. St. Louis Cardinals: Addison Russell (SS, HS)

Eddy Curry inspired Russell to drop from 230 pounds to 210, but he still could have to slide over to third at the next level.

20. San Francisco Giants: Marcus Stroman (RHP, Duke)

At 5’9”, no one ever mistook Stroman for a Blue Devil basketball player, but I’m sure he’d rather be compared to Tom Gordon than Kyle Singler.

21. Atlanta Braves: Joey Gallo (3B, HS)

Balls tend to hang in the air a long time when Joey Gallo hits them.

Despite the 6’5”, 220-pounder's unrivaled strength swinging the bat as well as a cannon for an arm, Gallo is most likely bust No. 2.

According to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, scouts aren’t sold Gallo’s ability to connect on a consistent basis. A Major League Baseball game is a different animal than a home-run derby. If he fails to prove that he’s capable of hitting for an average that’s at least good enough on top of his power, he won’t make it in the league.

22. Toronto Blue Jays: Hunter Virant (LHP, HS)

Hunter Virant doesn’t shoot with a gun, but instead a bow and arrow—his pitch speed is his only weakness.

23. St. Louis Cardinals: Chris Stratton (RHP, Mississippi St.)

Stratton is capable of striking out an opposing batter with four different pitches. He even lets them choose (not really, though).

24. Boston Red Sox: Nolan Fontana (SS, Florida)

Considering that his last name rhymes with Montana, it isn’t surprising that Fontana—a Jack of all trades—doesn’t "wow" you with any particular skill.

25. Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Lucas Sims (RHP, HS)

Sims has that Mariano Rivera-closer instinct going on, pre-torn ACL.

26. Arizona Diamondbacks: Walker Weickel (RHP, HS)

After following Carlos Correa and Albert Almora to Miami, you could say Weickel has a bit of Chris Bosh in him. Considering that his power is lacking, it’s a justified comparison. 

27. Milwaukee Brewers: Brian Johnson (LHP, Florida)

Johnson is a big man at 6’3”, 225 pounds and is arguably the best junior pitcher in the class.

28. Milwaukee Brewers: Stryker Trahan (C, HS)

Stryker Trahan’s name has two connotations. One, the strike of his bat to the ball is powerful. And two, striking out is an issue.

Like Mr. Gallo, Trahan is a fan of home-run derbies. The 6’1”, 215-pounder phenomenal athlete is built for such competition.

But as Jason A. Churchill of ESPN reported, Strahan’s consistency at the plate just isn’t there. His defense is labeled with the exact same issue. Trahan looks like the typical physically gifted athlete that doesn’t have a complementary skill set.

29. Texas Rangers: Carson Kelly (RHP, HS)

Kelly is capable of playing pitcher and third base, but his bat is his strength—talk about versatility. 

30. New York Yankees: Patrick Wisdom (3B, Saint Mary’s)

For a team in need of a defensive stud at third, it’d be wise to draft Wisdom.

31. Boston Red Sox: David Dahl (CF, HS)

When you’re getting comparisons to Johnny Damon—pre- or post-caveman—you know you’re doing something right.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

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