MLB Draft Results 2012: Mark Appel and the Best Value Picks from the First Round

The first round of the 2012 MLB draft is over and a few teams got very lucky with their picks.

For one reason or another, certain prospects dropped way past the spot where they should have been taken. 

The teams that were fortunate enough to land one of these players got great value from their first-round choice.

Here is why Mark Appel and two other players were great value picks. 

Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford—Pittsburgh Pirates, No. 8 overall

Many mock drafts had Mark Appel going No. 1 overall to the Houston Astros. Not only did he drop all the way to No. 8, but he was the fourth pitcher drafted.

Appel is a 6’5”, 215-pound power pitcher whose fastball usually registers in the mid-90s. He was the ace of the Stanford staff this past season as a junior with a 10-1 record and 2.27 ERA so far. 

He is mature and has few flaws in his game and, in terms of his skill set, was one of the safest picks in the draft. Concerns arise due to his agent Scott Boras, who is known for driving a hard bargain when it comes to rookie signing bonuses.

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, teams have an allotted amount of money they can spend on signing bonuses, which may have scared some of them off. But Appel’s talent is undeniable, and if the Pirates can sign him, he will be a valuable addition to their staff fairly quickly. 

Deven Marrero, SS, Arizona State—Boston Red Sox, No. 24 overall

Marrero would have been a top-10 pick in the 2011 draft if he had not decided to return to Arizona State for his junior year. But he took a step back this season, hurting his draft stock. 

The Red Sox will not complain about the turn of events, as they landed a great talent late in the first round. Marrero will be ready for the majors fairly quickly and he is an excellent defensive shortstop.

Boston has reason to believe that drafting a shortstop from ASU is a good move. The last time they did this was in in 2004 when they took Dustin Pedroia. He went on to win the AL Rookie of the year in 2007 and the AL MVP in 2008.

Marrero may not be quite the hitter that Pedroia is, but he is still solid at the plate. He hit .397 as a freshman but dropped to .315 as a sophomore and struggled with injuries this season, resulting in a .284 average.

The Sun Devil’s best attribute is undoubtedly his defense. Few infielders in the draft can measure up to his skills and this makes him an excellent pick. 

Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard-Westlake HS (Calif.)—Washington Nationals, No. 16 overall

Giolito might have been the No. 1 overall pick this season had he not missed most of the year with an elbow injury. Both he and the Nationals feel that the injury will not be a problem and the pitcher told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, “I’m confident that this issue is behind me.”

The next issue the Nats have to deal with is convincing Giolito to forgo a scholarship commitment that UCLA has offered him, according to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times.

On talent alone, this pick brings huge value. Before his elbow injury, Giolito’s fastball was clocked at 100 miles per hour. This is a mark that few pitchers on the planet can reach.

He also has a very good curveball to complement his ridiculous speed and at 6’6” and 230 pounds, he is the prototypical size for a power pitcher.

If the Nationals can sign him this season and Giolito can stay healthy, this will end up being one of the best picks in the draft this year.