MLB Draft Start Time: Complete Round-by-Round Schedule

The 2012 MLB draft gets under way tonight with the first round and the supplemental first round. Even though the players selected throughout the 40-round, three-day process are still a couple years away from making an impact, the draft is essential for building a strong system.

This class doesn't have a standout prospect similar to David Price, Stephen Strasburg or Bryce Harper in recent years, but it does have good depth. That should allow teams drafting late in Round 1 and beyond to find some quality talent.

The Houston Astros will pick first, with the Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners rounding out the top three. It's a chance for each of those struggling clubs to give its fanbase something to get excited about since this season has already started to slip away.

Here's a look at all the key start time information for each of the rounds and a break down featuring some of the top prospects that will likely come off the board early in the opening round.

Round 1: Monday, June 4, at 7 p.m. ET on MLB Network

Rounds 2-15: Tuesday, June 5, at 12 p.m. ET on MLB.com

Rounds 16-40: Wednesday, June 6, at 12 p.m. ET on MLB.com

Round 1 Draft Order

1. Houston Astros

2. Minnesota Twins

3. Seattle Mariners

4. Baltimore Orioles

5. Kansas City Royals

6. Chicago Cubs

7. San Diego Padres

8. Pittsburgh Pirates

9. Miami Marlins

10. Colorado Rockies

11. Oakland Athletics

12. New York Mets

13. Chicago White Sox

14. Cincinnati Reds

15. Cleveland Indians

16. Washington Nationals

17. Toronto Blue Jays

18. Los Angeles Dodgers

19. St. Louis Cardinals (Albert Pujols compensation)

20. San Francisco Giants

21. Atlanta Braves

22. Toronto Blue Jays (Tyler Beede compensation)

23. St. Louis Cardinals

24. Boston Red Sox

25. Tampa Bay Rays

26. Arizona Diamondbacks

27. Milwaukee Brewers (Prince Fielder compensation)

28. Milwaukee Brewers

29. Texas Rangers

30. New York Yankees

31. Boston Red Sox (Jonathan Papelbon compensation)

For a complete draft order of all 40 rounds, visit the official draft site.

Top Prospects to Watch

Mark Appel

A starting pitcher from Stanford, Appel was drafted three years ago by the Detroit Tigers. Going to college really helped his stock and has pushed him into the conversation to become the first player taken.

He's got good size at 6'4'' and a clean delivery that should help him stay healthy, which is more important than ever when it comes to drafting young starters. He has three good pitches, including a fastball, changeup and slider.

Of all the pitchers available in the draft, Appel is the most polished, which means he should reach the major leagues first. It's just another factor that makes him one of the most intriguing players on the board, a place he won't be for long.

Byron Buxton

Buxton has established himself as the best hitter available in the draft thanks to a wide array of tools that should eventually make him a force. The outfielder has tremendous speed and is already a solid defender with a chance to become elite in the field.

He's still a raw talent at the plate, so it will take some developing in the minors before he's ready to make the jump. That said, he's shown a nice combination of power and discipline that points to a bright future for the high school prospect.

With Buxton, it all comes down to potential. He has shown glimpses of becoming a terrific all-around player, and a team early in the draft will be more than willing to wait for him to turn that upside into actual ability in the coming years.

Kevin Gausman

Another elite college starting pitcher, Gausman has all the makings of a future ace. He's worked hard over the past couple seasons to improve his command. That, combined with great stuff, should ensure his spot inside the top five.

The LSU product features a mid-90s fastball and a changeup that serves as a perfect complement. Those two pitches alone are enough to move him through the system at a good rate, but he still needs to further develop a put-away pitch before reaching the majors.

It wouldn't be surprising to see him add another couple miles per hour on his fastball as well, which would make it an even more dominant pitch. He definitely needs some development time, but all signs point toward him becoming a top-of-the-rotation starter.