Draft 2012 – Mark Appel, . Jesmuel Valentin-Diaz, Matt Smoral, Ryan Garvey

1. Mark Appel / RHP / Stanford — Appel is candidate No.2 — after Byron Buxton and a player who will be revealed next week — to start the year on top of the board, and with good reason. The 6-4 right-hander has two plus pitches — a mid 90′s fastball and a hard-slider with tilt — and a circle change that projects as average.  There’s some mechanical issues that need ironing out at the beginning of the delivery, and if he can do that, Appel has a chance to be the first pick come next June. http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2011/12/top-twelve-college-pitchers/

47. Jesmuel Valentin-Diaz — 5’-11”, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy (PR) - Jesmuel has a strong knowledge of the game having grown up around it. His father, Jose Valentin, was a 16-year, major-league veteran and taught his son well. He is also built like his dad — 5’-11” and 180 lbs — and he’s a switch hitter. Has the range, soft hands and strong arm to be a very good defensive shortstop in the majors. At the plate, his short stroke generates gap-to-gap power and could develop more when he matures. Timed at 6.68/60, so should steal some bases as well. Gained a reputation as a clutch hitter throughout summer-league tournaments and his stock is soaring right now. http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/top-50-draft-prospects-for-2012-50-thru-26/15621/

There's a lot to like about this prep lefty, from his size to his arm strength to his delivery. How high he is on Draft boards might depend on how teams feel he will develop in the future. Right now, Matt Smoral uses an easy arm action to deliver an above-average fastball that sits in the 91-92 mph range. He'll occasionally show a plus heater. He has a very good feel for a sinking changeup and can throw both for strikes. Smoral does throw a slider, but it's a below-average offering right now that doesn't have enough depth. He's poised on the mound and goes right after hitters, but he will have to improve that breaking ball if he wants to be a starter at the next level. If he can sharpen that slider, he does have the other tools to pitch in that role. The team that takes him will be banking on his very high ceiling http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2012/

Ryan Garvey, son of Dodger and Padre all-star Steve Garvey, won't be playing baseball at USC after all. Despite attending one semester there on a baseball scholarship, the former Palm Desert High School star transferred to Riverside Community College for the spring semester earlier this month. He plans to play baseball for RCC in the spring and enter the Major League draft in June. Ryan Garvey said his goal is to spend more time developing his baseball skill.