Unlike the past several years, there was no consensus No. 1 overall pick coming into the 2012 Draft. The honor could have gone to any of a handful of players, but in the end, the Astros selected Puerto Rican shortstop Carlos Correa.
The 17-year-old has the size (6-foot-4, 190 pounds) and athleticism that it will take to play shortstop at the highest level. He's got power potential with the bat, as well, which is why Houston made him the highest pick ever to come out of the Puerto Rican Baseball Academy.
"I feel so excited to be the No. 1 pick," Correa told MLB Network. "I'm proud to be here and I'm excited. This means a lot -- I have been working hard."
The Twins followed by taking toolsy high school outfielder Byron Buxton, who impressed last summer at a number of showcases. Then the Mariners selected Mike Zunino, a player who has the chance be a strong everyday catcher.
Stanford hurler Mark Appel, who was reportedly in the mix to be No. 1 overall, fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the No. 8 spot. Though signability could be an issue for the right-hander, that was also the case last year with Josh Bell, whom the Pirates drafted in the second round and gave a $5 million signing bonus. Teams, however, will be subject to spending caps for the first time this season.
The Padres selected left-hander Max Fried seventh overall out of Harvard-Westlake High School, and the Nationals took teammate Lucas Giolito at No. 16. The two pitchers are the first high-school teammates to go in the first round since Mike Moustakas and Matt Dominguez were both selected out of Chatsworth High School in 2007.
Gavin Cecchini, brother of Red Sox prospect Garin Cecchini, went to the Mets at pick No. 12. He is said to be even faster than his sibling, who has 19 steals in 50 games for the Class A Greenville Drive this year.
The highlight of the first round might have been when Courtney Hawkins, the White Sox's pick at No. 13, showed off his athleticism by completing a standing backflip. What did general manager Kenny Williams think about his draftee's impressive display?
"He said no more flips," Hawkins told MLB Network.
Left-hander Brian Johnson of the University of Florida was taken by the Red Sox at No. 31, joining college teammate Zunino in the first round. Texas A&M also landed a pair of players in the opening round, as outfielder Tyler Naquin was taken by the Indians at No. 15 and right-handed pitcher Michael Wacha went to the Cardinals four picks later.
After Oklahoma saw prep hurlers Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley go in the top seven picks last year, the state produced another first-rounder in righty Ty Hensley, whom the Yankees took with the 30th overall selection.
2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft picks at a glance:
First Round
Pick
Player
Team
School
1
Carlos Correa, SS
Houston Astros
Puerto Rico BB Academy
2
Byron Buxton, OF
Minnesota Twins
Appling County (Ga.) HS
3
Mike Zunino, C
Seattle Mariners
University of Florida
4
Kevin Gausman, RHP
Baltimore Orioles
Louisiana State
5
Kyle Zimmer, RHP
Kansas City Royals
University of San Francisco
6
Albert Almora, OF
Chicago Cubs
Mater Academy Charter School (Fla.)
7
Max Fried, LHP
San Diego Padres
Harvard-Westlake (Calif.) HS
8
Mark Appel, RHP
Pittsburgh Pirates
Stanford
9
Andrew Heaney, LHP
Miami Marlins
Oklahoma State
10
David Dahl, OF
Colorado Rockies
Oak Mountain (Ala.) HS
11
Addison Russell, SS
Oakland A's
Pace (Fla.) HS
12
Gavin Cecchini, SS
New York Mets
Barbe (La.) HS
13
Courtney Hawkins, OF
Chicago White Sox
Carroll (Texas) HS
14
Nick Travieso, RHP
Cincinnati Reds
Archbishop McCarthy (Fla.) HS
15
Tyler Naquin, OF
Cleveland Indians
Texas A&M
16
Lucas Giolito, RHP
Washington Nationals
Harvard-Westlake (Calif.) HS
17
D.J. Davis, OF
Toronto Blue Jays
Stone County (Miss.) HS
18
Corey Seager, SS
Los Angeles Dodgers
Stone County (N.C.) HS
19
Michael Wacha, RHP
St. Louis Cardinals
Texas A&M
20
Chris Stratton, RHP
San Francisco Giants
Mississippi State
21
Lucas Sims, RHP
Atlanta Braves
Brookwood (Ga.) HS
22
Marcus Stroman, RHP
Toronto Blue Jays
Duke
23
James Ramsey, OF
St. Louis Cardinals
Florida State
24
Deven Marrero, SS
Boston Red Sox
Arizona State
25
Richie Shaffer, 3B
Tampa Bay Rays
Clemson
26
Stryker Trahan, C
Arizona D-backs
Acadiana (La.) HS
27
Clint Coulter, C
Milwaukee Brewers
Union (Wash.) HS
28
Victor Roache, OF
Milwaukee Brewers
Georgia Southern
29
Lewis Brinson, OF
Texas Rangers
Coral Springs (Fla.) HS
30
Ty Hensley, RHP
New York Yankees
Edmond Santa Fe (Okla.) HS
31
Brian Johnson, LHP
Boston Red Sox
University of Florida
Compensation Round A
Pick
Player
Team
School
32
Jose Berrios, RHP
Minnesota Twins
Papa Juan XXIII HS (P.R.)
33
Zach Eflin, RHP
San Diego Padres
Hagerty (Fla.) HS
34
Daniel Robertson, SS
Oakland A's
Upland (Calif.) HS
35
Kevin Plawecki, C
New York Mets
Purdue
36
Stephen Piscotty, 3B
St. Louis Cardinals
Stanford
37
Pat Light, RHP
Boston Red Sox
Monmouth University
38
Mitch Haniger, OF
Milwaukee Brewers
Cal Poly
39
Joey Gallo, 3B
Texas Rangers
Bishop Gorman (Nev.) HS
40
Shane Watson, RHP
Philadelphia Phillies
Lakewood (Calif.) HS
41
Lance McCullers, RHP
Houston Astros
Jesuit (Fla.) HS
42
Luke Bard, RHP
Minnesota Twins
Georgia Tech
43
Pierce Johnson, RHP
Chicago Cubs
Missouri State
44
Travis Jankowski, OF
San Diego Padres
SUNY Stony Brook
45
Barrett Barnes, OF
Pittsburhg Pirates
Texas Tech
46
Eddie Butler, RHP
Colorado Rockies
Radfurd University
47
Matt Olson, 1B
Oakland A's
Parkview (Ga.) HS
48
Keon Barnum, 1B
Chicago White Sox
King (Fla.) HS
49
Jesse Winker, OF
Cincinnati Reds
Olympia (Fla.) HS
50
Matt Smoral, LHP
Toronto Blue Jays
Solon (Ohio) HS
51
Jesmuel Valentin, SS
Los Angeles Dodgers
Puerto Rico BB Academy
52
Patrick Wisdom, 3B
St. Louis Cardinals
St. Marys
53
Collin Wiles, RHP
Texas Rangers
Blue Valley West (Kan.) HS
54
Mitch Gueller, RHP
Philadelphia Phillies
W. F. West (Wash.) HS
55
Walker Weickel, RHP
San Diego Padres
Olympia (Fla.) HS
56
Paul Blackburn, RHP
Chicago Cubs
Heritage (Calif.) HS
57
Jeff Gelalich, OF
Cincinnati Reds
UCLA
58
Mitch Nay, 3B
Toronto Blue Jays
Hamilton (Ariz.) HS
59
Steve Bean, C
St. Louis Cardinals
Rockwall (Texas) HS
60
Tyler Gonzales, RHP
Toronto Blue Jays
James Madison (Texas) HS
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
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