MLB Draft 2012: Biggest Surprises of Early 1st Round

To say the 2012 MLB draft was unpredictable would be an understatement. 

Whether it was the Houston Astros selecting a shortstop or the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs appearing to reach in the middle of the first round, there were plenty of surprises that made draft experts scratch their collective heads.

So much for the MLB draft not being exciting. This year's selections shocked and awed, and destroyed mock drafts everywhere.

Houston Astros, No. 1: Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy

Most draft experts had the Astros grabbing Stanford right-hander Mark Appel, and for good reason. The Astros desperately need another top-of-the-rotation starter beyond Wandy Rodriguez. 

But the Astros instead went with Carlos Correa. 

It's not that Correa was a bad value pick. He's been compared to Troy Tulowitzki and Alex Rodriguez—he has superstar potential. 

At the same time, Correa is 17 years old and won't be able to help the Astros right away. Appel or even LSU's Kevin Gausman each have the potential to be All-Stars and would have been able to inject life into the Astros instantly.

Kansas City Royals, No. 5: Kyle Zimmer, RHP, University of San Francisco

Kyle Zimmer could be a No. 2 starter in the big leagues, but I don't think he'll be an ace. He has battled inconsistency and getting his curve over the plate regularly, and while his fastball has velocity, it doesn't have a lot of movement. He simply doesn't get a lot of swings and misses with his heater. I could see him being a top-15 pick, but No. 5 overall is way too high in my opinion.

Colorado Rockies, No. 10: David Dahl, OF, Oak Mountain High School (Ala.)

David Dahl was one of the biggest reaches of the first round. He will probably develop into an above-average, five-tool center fielder, but the problem is none of his tools are particularly spectacular. That's why a lot of draft experts had him going near No. 20 overall. Picking him at No. 10 seems like a huge risk.

Cincinnati Reds, No. 14: Nick Travieso, RHP, Archbishop McCarthy High School (Fla.)

This selection really surprised me. Most draft experts had Travieso as a supplemental-round pick, but the Reds grabbed him as early as No. 14 overall.

Of course, evaluating high-school prospects is tricky, but Travieso only has two pitches that project to be plus offerings (fastball and slider) and his inconsistency and control issues gave many scouts pause. Even his best pitch (his fastball, which can hit 99 mph) doesn't have a lot of movement, which could hurt him in the majors.

Chicago Cubs, No. 15: Tyler Naquin, OF, Texas A&M

Tyler Naquin has a tremendous arm and good speed, which means he could become an above-average center fielder down the line, but he doesn't offer enough in other areas for him to be a first-rounder for me. He has a long swing and lacks good power, which doesn't bode well for him in a major-league batter's box.

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