Update: 2012 First-Round Draft Picks
Here is an update on the status of all 2012 first-round draft picks.
1) Carlos Correa, SS, Houston Astros: Hit .232/.270/.355 with seven walks, 36 strikeouts in 155 at-bats for Gulf Coast League Astros. Promoted to Greenville in Appalachian League, is 7-for-17 (.412) with three walks, four strikeouts so far. I'm confident in him.
2) Byron Buxton, OF, Minnesota Twins: Hit .216/.324/.466 with 11 walks, 26 strikeouts in 88 at-bats for Gulf Coast League Twins, is 7-for-32 (.219) with three doubles, two walks, seven strikeouts for Elizabethton in the Appy League. As expected: great tools, but not refined.
3) Mike Zunino, C, Seattle Mariners: .373/.474/.736 with 10 homers, 18 walks, 26 strikeouts in 110 at-bats for Everett in the Northwest League. 4-for-6 in first three games for Double-A Jackson. No complains here; as expected, he is a very advanced prospect.
4) Kevin Gausman, RHP, Baltimore Orioles: Threw six shutout innings for Aberdeen in the New York-Penn League, allowing one hit, fanning five, no walks. Just promoted to High-A Frederick. Fastball/changeup combination looks sharp so far.
5) Kyle Zimmer, RHP, Kansas City Royals: 10 innings in the Arizona Rookie League, allowing one run with 13 strikeouts, followed by a 3.04 ERA with a 26/7 K/BB in 24 innings for Low-A Kane County. Very much as expected.
6) Albert Almora, OF, Chicago Cubs: .347/.363/.480 with five steals, two walks, eight strikeouts in 75 at-bats in the Arizona Rookie League, 4-for-10 with a homer so far after moving up to Boise in the Northwest League. Another first-round pick playing well and performing to expectations so far.
7) Max Fried, LHP, San Diego Padres: 4.61 ERA with 14/6 K/BB in 14 innings for Arizona League Padres, 12 hits, 3.50 GO/AO. Small sample, but some nice early markers.
8) Mark Appel, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates: Didn't sign, back to Stanford.
9) Andrew Heaney, LHP, Miami Marlins: Two runs with 9/2 K/BB in seven inning tuneup in Gulf Coast League, then gave up six runs on eight hits in four innings in a start for Low-A Greensboro.
10) David Dahl, OF, Colorado Rockies: Excellent so far: .364/.405/.579 with 15 walks, 31 strikeouts, 11 steals in 214 at-bats for Grand Junction in the rookie-level Pioneer League. Showing broad base of skills and tools.
11) Addison Russell, SS, Oakland Athletics: .415/.488/.717 in 106 at-bats in the Arizona Rookie League, followed by a .340/.389/.520 mark in 50 at-bats for Vermont in the New York-Penn League. Has stolen 11 bases in 12 attempts. Um, I'd say that's pretty damn good.
12) Gavin Cecchini, SS, New York Mets: .257/.327/.360 with 14 walks, 30 strikeouts in 136 at-bats for Kingsport in the Appy League. Nothing special with the bat but that wasn't unexpected at this stage.
13) Courtney Hawkins, OF, Chicago White Sox: .272/.314/.401 with seven walks, 37 strikeouts in 147 at-bats for Bristol in the Appy League. 3-for-16 with five strikeout so far in five games after aggressive promotion to Kannapolis in the Sally League. Contact issues as expected.
14) Nick Travieso, RHP, Cincinnati Reds: 5.79 ERA with 8/4 K/BB in 14 innings in the Arizona Rookie League. Showing both arm strength and rawness according to scouting reports. Again, this was what was expected.
15) Tyler Naquin, OF, Cleveland Indians: .285/.384/.400 with 15 walks, 24 strikeouts in 130 at-bats for Mahoning Valley in the NY-P. Good on base skills with some gap power, no homers yet.
16) Lucas Giolito, RHP, Washington Nationals: Threw two innings in the Gulf Coast League on August 14th. He's on the mound, not under the knife, and that's what matters at this point.
17) D.J. Davis, OF, Toronto Blue Jays: .233/.339/.374 with 18 steals, 18 walks, 54 strikeouts in 163 at-bats for GCL Blue Jays. Was just promoted to Bluefield in the Appy League. Tools are obvious, lots of speed, some power potential, but raw, has contact issues.
18) Corey Seager, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers: .301/.358/.456 with 11 walks, 23 strikeouts, eight steals in 136 at-bats for Ogden in the Pioneer League. Looks good so far.
19) Michael Wacha, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals: Has pitched 13 innings (five for GCL Cardinals, eight for Palm Beach in High-A Florida State League), allowing five hits, one run, one walk, with 23 strikeouts. Excellent so far.
20) Chris Stratton, RHP, San Francisco Giants: 3.65 ERA with 13/9 K/BB in 12 innings for Salem-Keizer, 10 hits. Small sample of course, no need to put a heavy workload after college season.
21) Luke Sims, RHP, Atlanta Braves: 2.54 ERA with 30/8 K/BB in 28 innings (seven in GCL, 21 for Danville in the Appy League), 22 hits. Nothing to complain about here. I really like the fact that we are getting these guys into pro ball on a decent schedule with the new CBA.
22) Marcus Stroman, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays: 3.18 ERA with 15/3 K/BB in 11 innings for Vancouver in the Northwest League, has pitched four innings for Double-A New Hampshire, one run, 4/4 K/BB. 2.00 GO/AO overall. Considered very advanced and close to the majors and none of this changes that.
23) James Ramsey, OF, St. Louis Cardinals: .236/.330/.318 with 10 steals, 22 walks, 46 strikeouts in 157 at-bats for Palm Beach in the High-A Florida State League. Weird reverse platoon split: .891 OPS against lefties, .511 against right-handers. That seems unlikely to persist.
24) Deven Marrero, SS, Boston Red Sox: .255/.355/.356 with 21 steals, 29 walks, 33 strikeouts in 188 at-bats for Lowell in the NY-P. Has made nine errors in 21 games at short, but showing good range.
25) Richie Shaffer, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays: .308/.393/.500 with seven walks, 18 strikeouts in 52 at-bats for Hudson Valley in the NY-P. Sample small but this is the kind of hitting expected. Strikeouts high so far.
26) Stryker Trahan, C, Arizona Diamondbacks: Defense looks rough but the bat is sound: .289/.440/.492 with 34 walks, 34 strikeouts, six steals in 128 at-bats in the Arizona Rookie League. And that's pretty much what was expected.
27) Clint Coulter, C, Milwaukee Brewers: .296/.433/.437 with 29 walks, 29 strikeouts in 135 at-bats in the Arizona Rookie League. Like Trahan, he needs a lot of work on defense but has hit well.
28) Victor Roache, OF, Milwaukee Brewers: Rehabbing broken wrist, expected to be active in instructional league.
29) Lewis Brinson, OF, Texas Rangers: .292/.352/.523 with 16 walks, 60 strikeouts in 195 at-bats in the AZL, 11 steals in 12 attempts. Again, this is what was expected: fast, strong, athletic, approach is raw with contact issues.
30) Ty Hensley, RHP, New York Yankees: 3.86 ERA with 11/6 K/BB in nine innings for GCL Yankees, seven hits. Some command issues, but strikeouts are nice to see.
31) Brian Johnson, LHP, Boston Red Sox: 5.1 innings for Lowell in the NY-P, two hits, four strikeouts, one walk, no runs.
I love the fact that the new CBA gets these guys into pro ball on a decent schedule. It will be much easier to analyze them heading into 2013. So far, most of these guys have performed in line with expectations, if not better.
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