More Inane 2012 MLB Draft Talk

Last year at this time (1 Oct 2010), Perfect Game’s Top-10 prospects were:

Name

Pos

1

Anthony Rendon3B

2

Gerrit ColeRHP

3

George SpringerOF

4

Taylor JungmannRHP

5

Dylan BundyRHP

6

Archie BradleyRHP

7

Matthew PurkeLHP

8

Jackie BradleyOF

9

Matt BarnesRHP

10

Jed BradleyLHP

Early February, these were Baseball America’s Top-10 prospects:

Name

Pos

1

Anthony Rendon3B

2

Gerrit ColeRHP

3

Matt PurkeLHP

4

George SpringerOF

5

Sonny GrayRHP

6

Taylor JungmannRHP

7

Jackie BradleyOF

8

Matt BarnesRHP

9

Archie BradleyRHP

10

Bubba StarlingOF

Last year’s top-15 draftees went as follows:

Name

Pos

Team

1

Gerrit ColeRHPPirates

2

Danny HultzenLHPMariners

3

Trevor BauerRHPD-Backs

4

Dylan BundyRHPOrioles

5

Bubba StarlingOFRoyals

6

Anthony Rendon3BNationals

7

Archie BradleyRHPD-Backs

8

Fransisco LindorSSIndians

9

Javier Baez3BCubs

10

Cory SpangenbergOFPadres

Notice something, and I think this is important. The #2 pick, our own Daniel Hultzen, was ranked #32 overall in October by Perfect Game and #11 in February by Baseball America. That isn’t taking into account Trevor Bauer (who was #41 PG/#16BA), Lindor (N/R PG/BA) and Baez ( NR PG/#38 BA) who all had large jumps in their overall stocks.

Things can easily change over a few days and things can entirely shift course over just 5 months.

All that said here is a small taste of 2012 per Perfect Game and Baseball America

Baseball America

Perfect Game

1

Mark AppelLucas Giolito

2

Deven MarreroMark Appel

3

Mike ZuninoDeven Marrero

4

Lucas GiolitoByron Buxton

5

Byron BuxtonMike Zunino

6

Chris BeckLance McCullers

7

Kevin GausmanKevin Gausman

8

David DahlCarlos Correa

9

Gavin CecchiniTrey Williams

10

Lucas SimsNick Williams

11

Brian JohnsonJoey Gallo

12

Victor RoacheKenny Diekroeger

13

Max FriedChris Beck

14

Walker WeickelTaylore Cherry

15

Hunter VirantVictor Roache

16

Lance McCullersWalker Weickel

17

Trey WilliamsMichael Wacha

18

Kenny DiekroegerMax Fried

19

Kyle ZimmerHunter Virant

20

Carlos CorreaLucas Sims

Their Top-5’s aren’t dissimilar, but that’s where the two part ways. Obviously PG (Nick Williams) is way higher on a few guys and vice versa with BA (Brian Johnson) and a few of “their” guys.

One of the interesting story lines of the draft is going to be Lance McCullers, whom Perfect Game is rather enamored with, and yet Baseball America is already of the belief that he’s a relief arm “just like his father”. McCuller’s for those that don’t know has been on the prospect circuit for a while due to his father’s status as a former major leaguer.

I’m really not partial personally one way or another which is why I think this storyline is so interesting.

Anyways, this is what’s up. We’ll talk more about a few of these guys going forward and specifically we’ll dive into the local northwest talent.