MLB Draft 2012: Teams That Landed Steals of the Draft

All of the usual nouns and adjectives were thrown around during the first two days of the MLB draft.

There were surprising selections, reaches and players who dropped down the board. There was potential everywhere you looked, high-upside players and those with a fast-track to the big leagues. There were "signability" issues and high-character, hard-working players.

And yes, there were steals. Those are the guys we're concerned with.

Let's take a look at a few teams who snagged some of the draft's best players, and did so further down the board than was to be expected.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Most pundits predicted Stanford's Mark Appel would be the top overall pick. Instead, he slid to the eighth spot in the draft where the Pirates snagged him.

That marks two years in a row now that the Pirates have selected the top collegiate pitcher in the draft, taking UCLA's Gerrit Cole a year before.

Sure, Appel was the third collegiate pitcher taken behind Kevin Gausman and Kyle Zimmer, but I nonetheless contend he's the best arm from the college ranks this year. With three-plus pitches (fastball, slider, change-up), Appel shouldn't need extensive seasoning in the minors.

This is a great pick for the Pirates. Well, if he is willing to sign, that is.

"

If my source is accurate that Appel turned down $6 mm from Astros, #Stanford RHP is a huge egg in #Pirates basket. Bucs draft pool: $6.6 mm.

— Tom Krasovic (@tomkrasovic) June 5, 2012"

Washington Nationals

With the 16th pick, the Nationals nabbed Lucas Giolito, a high school power pitcher from Harvard-Westlake in California.

His upside? Well, he's been compared to Roy Halladay given his size and heavy fastball. Add to that a nasty curveball and effective change-up, and you've got yourself a high school prospect that could have an unusually short tenure in the minor leagues.

Giolito isn't without risks. He missed a good portion of his senior year with an elbow injury, always a concern with pitchers. And he hasn't ruled out attending UCLA just yet.

But if he signs, the Nationals are landing the steal of this draft. Remember his name—he'll be a stud someday.

St. Louis Cardinals

The defending World Series champs had one of the more interesting drafts, rotating solid picks (Michael Wacha, RHP) with reaches (James Ramsey, OF) in the first round.

But with a compensation pick in the next round, they nabbed one of the draft's most complete players, Stanford third basemen Stephen Piscotty.

I love that pick. I'll let Teddy Mitrosillis of ESPN (Insider) tell you why:

"

As a freshman, he hit .326 with more extra-base hits (21) than strikeouts (18). Sophomore year brought a .364 average, a .423 OBP and first team All-Pac 12 honors. Now his junior year, his draft year, has been more of the same—.319 average, .405 OBP, 5 homers, 27 walks, 21 strikeouts. Since his career began at Stanford, 167 starting lineup cards have been exchanged at home plate. Every one included his name.

"

Oh, and Stanford used him as a pitcher this year as well. What can't this kid do?

You can never have enough players capable of helping in every conceivable fashion, and Piscotty fits that bill. While his power will never be elite, look for Piscotty to hit for a high average and knock a lot of runs. Think Hunter Pence at third base.

And a very happy Cardinals team in a few years, when he hits the big leagues.

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