MLB Draft 2012: Mark Appel a Perfect Match with Houston Astros

The Houston Astros need pitching, and Stanford right-hander Mark Appel has the potential to be a No. 1 starter in the big leagues.

Did I mention Appel grew up rooting for the Astros?

As we approach the 2012 MLB draft on Monday, Appel is being looked at as the likely No. 1 overall pick. And not only is he good enough to be the No. 1 overall pick, he fills a glaring need for Houston.

Appel has had a tremendous season for the Cardinal. He's 10-1 with a 2.27 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 119 innings and he's coming off a four-hit, 11-strikeout complete game against Fresno State in the Stanford Regional.

He has a plus fastball that generally sits at 94-97 mph and can get up to 99 mph. Beyond that, he has a solid changeup and an above-average curveball/slider. He does need to get the ball down more, but he clearly has the stuff to excel in the majors.

As for the Astros, they have had one reliable starter all season: Wandy Rodriguez. J.A. Happ, Lucas Harrell and Bud Norris all have an ERA of 4.31 or worse. In short, they need pitching, and they need it badly.

Appel is still learning the game and will need to be more consistent with his command before he can be brought up to the big leagues, but he's widely considered to be the top pitching prospect in the draft and you'd have to think he'd be thrilled to be selected by his favorite team.

The question isn't whether Houston should draft Appel. The question is whether they will. For their sake, hopefully they don't think of it as a question at all. Appel is their answer.

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