2012 MLB Mock Draft: Highlighting Best Players in the First Round

These guys will not be household names for a few years, but there is plenty of high-end talent in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft.

A lot of top players will slide down boards in favor of those considered easier to sign, but here are the athletes with the best upside that will be taken in tonight's draft. 

1. Houston Astros: Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford

There has been plenty of debate over whom the Astros will select with the top overall pick, but according to ESPN's Jim Bowden, Appel will be the first off the board.

The Stanford right-hander has shown he can have success against high-level competition. However, he still has room to grow as a pitcher.

Appel can be a quick riser through Houston's minor league system due to his three-pitch arsenal, and that is sure to please fans that desperately need help at the major league level.

2. Minnesota Twins: Byron Buxton, OF, Appling County HS

According to Jon Heyman at CBS, the Twins are poised to take outfielder Byron Buxton if he is available with the second pick. This will be more than just a consolation prize for Minnesota, as Buxton might have the most upside in the entire class.

He is a legitimate five-tool talent that will help him succeed in every phase of the game. His speed alone should get him to the majors, but it is the hitting ability that will make him a superstar. 

Do not be surprised if Buxton reaches the majors before he is legally allowed to buy a beer.

3. Seattle Mariners: Mike Zunino, C, Florida

The draft class is not deep on college bats, but Zunino is easily the best available. He has a solid bat and is great defensively at a premium position.

4. Baltimore Orioles: Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU

As the major league team improves, the Orioles need to start grabbing college players that can help quickly. Unfortunately, Gausman still needs time to develop his secondary pitches.

5. Kansas City Royals: Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy

The Royals are stocking up on talent, and Correa could be next in line. The shortstop is only 17, so he will need plenty of time to grow both physically and mentally.

6. Chicago Cubs: Albert Almora, OF, Mater Academy

Almora might not end up being great at anything, but he does just about everything well. He is solid at the plate, in the field and on the basepaths.

7. San Diego Padres: Max Fried, LHP, Harvard-Westlake HS

Fried is a tall, lanky lefty that might take some time to develop, but has all of the tools to become a front-line starter in the majors.

He needs to add some muscle to truly make his fastball elite, but he has a good feel for his changeup and curveball. 

San Diego has done a good job over the years in developing pitchers. With the team in rebuilding mode, it can draft Fried for the future instead of settling on a fast-rising college player.

8. Pittsburgh Pirates: Deven Marrero, SS, Arizona State

Marrero's fielding ability will keep him high on draft boards and prospect lists as scouts hope that his bat will come around.

9. Miami Marlins: David Dahl, OF, Oak Mountain HS

Courtney Hawkins might end up being the better hitter, but Dahl is not too far behind and will likely be the better overall prospect.

10. Colorado Rockies: Courtney Hawkins, OF, Carroll HS

The Rockies should be more than happy selecting Hawkins or Dahl, depending on what the Marlins do in front of them.

11. Oakland Athletics: Kyle Zimmer, RHP, San Francisco

There is a good chance Zimmer is off the board by this point, but his lower ceiling might force teams to take bigger risks with other players.

12. New York Mets: Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard-Westlake HS

The biggest risk in the draft might also end up having the biggest payoff. 

Teams are scared to draft Giolitio due to injury concerns (an elbow injury ended his season) and possible difficulty to sign.

However, the Mets showed last year by drafting Brandon Nimmo that they were not scared to take a risk in the first round.

The right-handed pitcher has a nice easy delivery that should project towards future success for patient teams.

13. Chicago White Sox: Marcus Stroman, RHP, Duke

As a college reliever, Stroman might end up being the first player in this draft to reach the majors. As the White Sox showed with pitcher Chris Sale, they have no problem rushing a talented player through the system.

14. Cincinnati Reds: Michael Wacha, RHP, Texas A&M

Wacha has advanced stuff for a draft prospect and could be one of the safest bets in the entire draft.

15. Cleveland Indians: Chris Stratton, RHP, Mississippi State

Although he needs to work on his control, Stratton has one of the best breaking balls in the draft and will use it to rack up tons of strikeouts early in his professional career.

16. Washington Nationals: Andrew Heaney, LHP, Oklahoma State

What Heaney lacks in velocity, he makes up for in intelligence. The southpaw knows how to beat hitters and should at least get to the majors as a specialist out of the bullpen.

17. Toronto Blue Jays: Lance McCullers, RHP, Jesuit HS

Like Giolito, McCullers is considered a tremendous talent that might be tough to sign. Toronto should be willing to take the risk.

18. Los Angeles Dodgers: Ty Hensley, RHP, Santa Fe HS

Hensley has great size for a pitching prospect. With some added strength, he could have a dominant fastball that will get him to the majors.

19. St. Louis Cardinals: Gavin Cecchini, SS, Barbe HS

The good thing about high school shortstops is that they can easily be moved to other positions to fit the needs of the team or to better suit the prospects playing style.

Cecchini projects as a major-league shortstop but should be able to hit well enough to be moved to a corner infield spot if he gets bigger in the next few years.

The younger brother of Red Sox prospect Garin Cecchini, he has even more potential due to his ability to hit for power. 

Boston would love to reunite the siblings, but it is unlikely the shortstop stays on the board long enough.

20. San Francisco Giants: Zach Eflin, RHP, Hagerty HS

There are plenty of high school pitchers available, but Eflin already has solid velocity for a high school pitcher and still has room to grow. 

21: Atlanta Braves: Richie Shaffer, 3B, Clemson

Unlike the many high school athletes expected to be taken early, you know what you will get with Shaffer. The third baseman has great power and can be a very good defender at the next level.

22. Toronto Blue Jays: Tyler Naquin, OF, Texas A&M

Great fielder with good speed, but he is unlikely to play with much power as a professional.

23. St. Louis Cardinals: Joey Gallo, 3B, Bishop Gorman HS

Gallo might have the best power in the entire class, but uncertainty about his position slides him a little lower on draft boards.

24. Boston Red Sox: Tanner Rahier, SS, Palm Desert HS

The Red Sox want to take a high school prospect, and Rahier has the most potential among players available. He might be too big to stay at shortstop, but his bat will play at any position.

25. Tampa Bay Rays: Lewis Brinson, OF, Coral Springs HS

Tampa Bay has a knack for taking the right player in the first round, and Brinson could surprise many with his great upside. Has plus speed and should be able to stay in centerfield throughout his career.

26: Arizona Diamondbacks: D.J. Davis, OF, Stone County HS

Davis not only has plenty of tools that can make him a quality player but is also considered an easy player to sign.

27. Milwaukee Brewers: Stephen Piscotty, 3B, Stanford

With two consecutive picks, the Brewers can afford to go risky with one pick and safe with the other. Piscotty is relatively safe for this late in the first.

28. Milwaukee Brewers: Matt Smoral, LHP, Solon HS

The tall lefty has a good chance to be a frontline starter in the majors, but it could take a few years to develop all of his pitches.

29. Texas Rangers: Hunter Virant, LHP, Camarillo HS

Virant is a risky selection with little experience as a pitcher. However, that also shows how much room he has to grow. 

30. New York Yankees: Lucas Sims, RHP, Brookwood HS

The Yankees have been looking at a lot of high school pitchers and are likely to select the best available at this point. They could do much worse than Lucas Sims.

31. Boston Red Sox: Victor Roache, OF, Georgia Southern

For a sport that requires patience with its prospects, too many teams get scared of players with short-term injuries. A broken wrist has sidelined Roache for the majority of his season. However, the injury should not hurt the outfielder's long-term projection.

He has great power for his age and it is certain to rise quickly through the minors once he is healthy.