2012 MLB Draft Grades: Assessing the Top 5 Pitchers Taken off the Board

Pitchers flew off the board in the early part of Round 1 in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft.

Some teams picked wisely, while others did not choose as well.

Here are grades for each one of the first five teams to add an arm. 

Baltimore Orioles, Pick No. 4—Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU

Grade: A-

Many mock drafts had Kevin Gausman being taken by the Orioles with this pick. This was a safe, smart choice and Baltimore has added a fantastic prospect. 

Gausman has great size for a pitcher at 6’4” and 185 pounds. He has plenty of zip on his pitches and throws in the mid-90s.

His talent is undeniable, but his ability to improve rapidly is what makes him a great prospect. He was very raw when he arrived at LSU and went 5-6 with a 3.51 ERA as a freshman. This year, as a sophomore, he was dominant with an 11-1 record and a 2.72 ERA.

He will continue to improve in the minor leagues and will go to the Orioles as a complete pitcher ready to lead the staff.

Kansas City Royals, Pick No. 5—Kyle Zimmer, RHP, San Francisco

Grade: B

Kyle Zimmer is a very athletic pitcher who is a converted third baseman.

Like most guys who play the hot corner, he has an absolute gun. He regularly pitches in the mid-90s and can approach triple digits at times.

Zimmer was very productive in his junior season, going 5-3 with a 2.85 ERA and 104 strikeouts.

He will be a solid pitcher, although he likely will never be an ace. It is not a bad pick, but the Royals likely would be better off with Mark Appel from Stanford.

San Diego Padres, Pick No. 7—Max Fried, LHP, Harvard-Westlake HS (CA)

Grade: B- 

Max Fried separated himself from the other highly-rated prep pitchers by simply staying healthy throughout his senior season.

He has excellent mechanics for such a young player, which likely contributed to his ability to avoid injuries. 

Fried doesn’t bring the same heat that other pitchers taken in the top 10, but he is crafty and deceptive with his pitches.

He is a solid prospect, but taking a prep player was an unnecessary risk for the Padres to take with Mark Appel still on the board.

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

Grade: A+

The Pirates lucked out and they get top marks for simply being fortunate enough to have Mark Appel slide down to them.

Many mock drafters felt Appel should have gone No. 1 overall, and for good reason. He has great size at 6’5” and 215 pounds with a powerful fastball to match. He regularly throws in the high to mid-90s.

His production at Stanford was excellent. He went 10-1 this past season with a 2.27 ERA and 127 strikeouts compared to just 26 walks in 119 innings pitched.

There are not any holes in his game and he has all the necessary tools to be the ace of the Pirates staff somewhere down the road.

Miami Marlins, Pick No. 9—Andrew Heaney, LHP, Oklahoma State

Grade: A-

The Marlins’ eyes were likely very big when they saw Appel sliding down the board. They unfortunately did not get the chance to take the Stanford righty, but did well for themselves by taking the best pitcher left on the board. 

Andrew Heaney was the best left-handed pitcher in college baseball this past season. He had an incredible 1.80 ERA and a 10-2 record. He threw 140 strikeouts in 118.1 innings pitched.

Heaney was incredibly productive this past season, showing that he can dominate top-level college talent. He may not ever be the top pitcher in a rotation, but he has the potential to have a productive career in the majors.

This was the best pitching prospect available to the Marlins, and they did well for themselves with the pick.