Future Shock

First Round Recap

by Kevin Goldstein

There is no question that the first round of the 2012 draft was a weird one, but the question is why. The eight players expected to be the first eight players selected turned out to be just that, just not in the order anyone expected. An anticipated college-heavy teens turned into a run on high school talent, but we might never know if that was because of a flattened ranking of talent, or (more likely) because teams were scrambling during their five-minute windows to assess signability. Regardless, here's how everything went down.

1. Houston Astros: Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy
There were some rumblings on Sunday that the Astros had backed off a bit on Appel after making some initial feelers as to his signability. That seemed to make Buxton the obvious pick by default, but Correa was always in play here after his lights-out private workout. A surprise, but a pleasant one, as the Astros selected who I had as the No. 1 talent in the draft. The question remains as to whether the Astros genuinely preferred Correa, or if they think they can shave a little cash off the $7.2 million suggested slot, a theory that received a boost when Houston selected hard-to-sign Lance McCullers with the 41^stoverall selection.
Accompanying Pixies Song: “I'm Amazed”

2. Minnesota Twins: Byron Buxton, OF, Minnesota Twins
This seemed like it would be a binary decision all along: the Twins would select who was left between Appel and Buxton. But suddenly both players were available. The Astros passing on Appel reinforced the tough negotiation rumors, and in the end, Appel might as well have not even been on the board. Buxton is the kind of high-ceiling, toolsy talent the system needs, but he does not project as a quick mover, so Twins fans will have to exercise patience.
Accompanying Pixies Song: “La La Love You”

3. Seattle Mariners: Mike Zunino, C, Florida
The Mariners were favored to take Correa by many in the industry, but those that thought otherwise all bet on Zunino, who might have had his biggest fan in scouting director Tom McNamara. With such a lopsided system in favor of pitching, Appel just wasn't in the cards, and Zunino is the perfect fit. He allows the Mariners to give up the ghost that is Jesus Montero at catcher; beyond Zunino's baseball talent, there's not another catcher in this draft you'd rather have your top prospects throwing to.
Accompanying Pixies Song: “Head On”

4. Baltimore Orioles: Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU
The Orioles loved Buxton, but knew that was never a realistic possibility. This was another poor spot for Appel to slot, as there was reason to believe that the Orioles actually had Gausman as the number one pitcher on their board.
Accompanying Pixies Song: “Lovely Day”

5. Kansas City Royals: Kyle Zimmer, RHP, San Francisco
The Royals seemed like a wild card leading up to this selection, much of that revolving around speculation that when GM Dayton Moore saw Zimmer late in the season, he saw the bad, injured version. In the end, Moore trusted his scouts for this pick. As for Appel, the further he fell, the more difficult it became to select him. If the Astros were turned off of selecting him at a slot of $7.2 million, how could the Royals think about it with a slot figure at less than half of that?
Accompanying Pixies Song: “Trompe Le Monde”

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jsdspud

(51937)

Kevin, What is Appel's future ceiling in a rotation, 2? The Pirates haven't been shy spending money in the draft. Any way that Boras and Pirates work together to circumvent draft rules and get Appel the most money allowed?

Jun 05, 2012 05:52 AM