Another day, another MLB mock draft. With the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft set to get under way on June 4, draftniks are busy publishing the latest and greatest mock drafts. ESPN's Keith Law has posted another mock draft, and once again, he has the Houston Astros selecting Mark Appel with the first pick in the draft.
The choice for the Astros will come down between Appel, a college arm, and Byron Buxton, a high school, toolsy outfield prospect. Law, like many others, believe that the Astros will select Appel with the first pick, despite the risk that comes with collegiate arms.
Appel certainly has the size many look for in a pitcher, as he's a 6'5", 215 lb righty. The knock on Appel is that the stats haven't matched the stuff -- as Appel has a solid array of pitchers, but this year, Appel has done his best to quiet his doubters. Through 110 innings, Appel is 9-1 with a 2.37 ERA, limiting opposing hitters to a .216 average while striking out 116 and walking just 24 for Stanford this year.
Astros fans won't have to wait too much longer to see who Jeff Luhnow takes with his first pick since being hired by Houston.
For more on the Astros, be sure to check out the Crawfish Boxes. For more on the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft, head over to Minor League Ball.