2012 MLB Mock Draft: Grading Experts' Picks Around the Web

MLB draft experts can only do so much. They have sources and an idea where prospects may land, but it also doesn't help when teams are secretive. 

The 2012 MLB draft was wild, to say the least. And it started with the very first pick when the Houston Astros shocked everyone and selected shortstop Carlos Correa from Puerto Rico Baseball Academy.

Let's take a look at how experts from ESPN, SI.com, MLB.com and Scout.com fared this year.

Keith Law, ESPN: B-

Keith Law joined each expert in thinking the Astros would grab Stanford right-hander Mark Appel, so he wasn't alone there. However, he did get picks 2-6 correct before things began to fall apart. The only other pick he got was the Milwaukee Brewers grabbing Union High School (WA) catcher Clint Coulter at No. 27 overall.

Dave Perkin, SI.com: C-

Dave Perkin got picks 2-5 correct. Everything else was wrong. Ah, the life of an MLB draft expert. One second you think you have a good handle on the draft, the next everything goes up in flames.

Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com: B

Jonathan Mayo seemed pretty positive Appel would be selected by the Astros. He had that happening in every mock draft he did. But he was wrong. The good news? He did pretty well compared to the other draft experts (key word: "compared"). He got picks 2-6 correct. He also had Barbe High School shortstop Gavin Cecchini going to the New York Mets at No. 12 overall. He also had Clint Coulter and Victor Roache going to the Milwaukee Brewers at No. 27 and No. 28 respectively.

Frankie Piliere, Scout.com: B

And Mayo and Frankie Piliere win the grand prize of respect! Piliere got seven top-15 picks correct: No. 2, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, No. 7, No. 9 and No. 12. He also had the Brewers nabbing Coulter at No. 27 overall.

What we must remember about all of this is that one pick can change everything in a draft, so these experts did alright given the circumstances. I mean, nobody had the Astros taking Correa.

Nonetheless, Piliere and Mayo obviously did their homework, getting eight picks right. Law wasn't far off with six correct selections. Perkin finished a distant fourth.

If anything, this breakdown affirms that this was one of the most unpredictable MLB drafts in years.

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