2013 MLB Draft Prospects: Biggest Bust Candidates in This Year's Class

Most of the discussion prior to the 2013 MLB draft is about prospects who will develop into stars at the big league level. There are bound to be several such players taken in this draft, but perhaps no draft in professional sports has a higher bust rate than the MLB draft.

It makes sense, as the MLB draft is much longer than most others. Also, there are so many players available that it's easy for teams to make a mistake. Every potential first-round pick looks fantastic on paper right now, however, a good portion of those taken in the first round may never even see the majors.

Here are three highly touted prospects with a ton of promise who also present plenty of risks as teams decide whether or not to make them cornerstone players.

Kohl Stewart

Most mock drafts seem to peg St. Pius X High School (Texas) pitcher Kohl Stewart as the top high school player in this year's class. It's tough to argue with that as the big righty boasted a 6-1 record and 2.50 ERA this past season, but there is always risk involved with taking a high school player. That is especially true when it comes to pitchers as they often have the most developing to do.

Stewart has plenty of raw talent, however, it remains to be seen if he can become a pitcher rather than a thrower. Having great stuff is only half the battle. In order to thrive at the major league level, pitchers must also be able to locate and mix speeds effectively. Also, Stewart has another enticing offer on the table if things don't go well for him during Thursday's first round, according to Jim Halley of USA Today.

While playing baseball appears to be Stewart's No. 1 priority at the moment. playing football at Texas A&M is pretty enticing as well. The fact that reigning Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel still plays for the Aggies might make Stewart's decision to play baseball a bit easier. Not only does Stewart have a lot of growing to do as a pitcher, but he has a fallback option in place. Those are a lot of concerns to take into account, especially for a possible top-five pick.

Austin Meadows

Another highly-touted high school prospect expected to be chosen in the top 10 is Grayson High School (Ga.) outfielder Austin Meadows. The 6'3" Meadows already has an MLB body and he is viewed by many as a potential five-tool player. The Washington Nationals recently had success taking a high school player in the form of Bryce Harper, but Harper played some junior college ball and was far more polished than Meadows.

Meadows' ability it undeniable as he hit a ridiculous .535 this season with a .633 on-base percentage. The jump from high school to A ball is huge, though, so it's tough to say how well he will ultimately transition. Despite those concerns, Meadows has rocketed up draft boards recently and ESPN's Keith Law has the Boston Red Sox selecting him at No. 7, according to Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal.

Boston can probably afford to take a chance and wait for a guy like Meadows to develop as the Red Sox are having a great season, but there are plenty of safer collegiate prospects to consider. While he plays a different position, Arkansas pitcher Ryne Stanek would be much less risky. Perhaps his ceiling isn't as high as Meadows, but countless high school players just like him have been drafted high in the past only to fall flat in the minors.

Tim Anderson

One of the most intriguing prospects in this year's draft is shortstop Tim Anderson. He is extremely raw, but he is extremely talented as well. Anderson is a guy who has focused on multiple sports over the past several years, so he still has to develop significantly as a baseball player. Even so, his tools are impressive and it's easy to see why a team might be compelled to roll the dice on him.

Anderson put up monster numbers this past season at East Central Community College. Along with a .495 batting average, Anderson hit 10 home runs, racked up 45 RBI and stole 41 bases for the Division II team. Because of Anderson's huge season, he was named a National Junior College Athletic Association All American, according to ECCC Baseball on Twitter.

Those gaudy numbers would even be hard to ignore in tee ball, but it's important for teams to temper their expectations. Anderson's level of competition obviously wasn't high, and he won't be able to outclass the competition at the next level. Anderson is intriguing to say the least, but there are tons of safer prospects to consider.

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