Draft 2012: James Crownover, Mike Zunino, Mark Appel, Joey Gallo

James Crownover, Ringgold (Ga.)  Crownover is a sturdy left-hander who has touched 95 on the radar gun. He uses his secondary stuff well, when necessary, and both his curveball and changeup has occasionally shown as above-average pitches. He lacks projection -- he's 6-feet tall -- so he's not likely a first-round talent, but the compensation round could be within reach.  http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/baseball/post/_/id/1086/max-fried-leads-class-of-2012-left-handers

Mike Zunino  Florida  Jr. | C | 6-2  Not only did Zunino's bat help the Gators to the College World Series Finals as a sophomore, his play behind the plate may have helped even more. Zunino became just the second Gator to be named SEC Player of the Year after leading the league in hitting (.371), home runs (19), total bases (178), hits (98), runs (75) and doubles (23). The Cape Coral, Fla., native was also named to the All-SEC Defensive Team after committing just three errors and helping the pitching staff to a 2.93 ERA in 2011. Named a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award, Zunino raised his batting average even higher in the postseason, hitting .395 in the NCAA tournament with four home runs in Florida's 11 games. http://www.ncaa.com/news/baseball/article/2012-02-08/baseball-gets-full-swing

Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford -  My concern with Appel is that he has the potential to be dominant but lacks...um..something. He tends to be around the plate. He leaves balls up in the zone and almost throws too many strikes. He suffers from "pitch to contact" syndrome; an affliction that many Minnesota Twins fans are aware of. If a team has a good defense behind him and he pitches with a little more killer instinct as well as develops more with instruction and better competition, he could be a frontline starter. If he doesn't gain those things and stays a similar pitcher, he may just be a #3 or 4 starter that you are always expecting more from. That being said, he should go in the top 5 without any complications and is likely to be the #1 or #2 pick overall. http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/2/9/2785340/2012-baseball-draft-college-prospects-1-5

1. Joey Gallo, 1B, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)  Gallo, who’s also a bit of a prospect as a right-handed pitcher, is a big, strong left-handed hitter that stands 6-foot-5. He creates leverage and loft and has above-average present game power to support the projections of his raw-power grade. He's played some third base but likely ends up at first. At the Area Code Games last August, scouts likened him to Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman in terms of potential. He's committed to LSU, but has a great chance to go in the first round if he can clean up his contact rates. http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/baseball/post/_/id/1108/joey-gallo-is-nation%e2%80%99s-top-corner-infielder