MLB Draft 2012: Meet Pitcher Lucas Giolito, the Newest Washington National

With the No. 16 pick in the 2012 MLB draft, the Washington Nationals selected right-hander Lucas Giolito from Harvard-Westlake High School (CA).

Giolito, 6' 6", 230 pounds, sat out all of the 2012 season with a sprained UCL. Prior to the injury, he was highly regarded as the top pitcher available in this year's draft.

Giolito has true No. 1 starter's potential. He has an explosive fastball that has touched 99 mph in the past, and he also possesses a well-above average curveball and plus-changeup.

As a pitcher coming fresh out of high school, it could be argued that he is the most impressive pitcher in the entire draft.

The Nationals should be ecstatic that they were able to select Giolito at No. 16, as Keith Law ranked him as the No. 9 available player.

He could potentially become the next Stephen Strasburg, in that he could work quickly to the system and be a dominant force on the mound right out of the minors.

The UCL injury left many teams weary of drafting the big righty, but the Nationals may have figured that they needed to capitalize on such a high pick. If they keep playing the way they are right now, they may not be picking this high for a while.

General manager Mike Rizzo clearly drafts on upside—see Ryan Zimmerman, Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon—and Giolito definitely fits the mold of a high-ceilinged pitcher.

Just imagine a rotation featuring Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann and Giolito.

Whew. That's scary good.