Stanford Cardinal starting pitcher Mark Appel has long been projected to go No. 1 overall in the 2012 MLB Draft which begins on June 4. There has been some talk that the Astros could go elsewhere with their pick, however ESPN analyst Jim Bowden is reporting that the Astros will indeed take Appel with their first choice:
According to source the Houston Astros are expected to select Stanford RHP Mark Appel with the first over all selection in tomorrows draft.
— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) June 3, 2012
This is only a report and nothing has been confirmed by the Astros or Appel, but taking anyone besides Appel would be a major shock.
With the Astros under a new ownership group and moving to the AL West, they need Appel to live up to the hype of being the No. 1 overall pick.
For those who have not seen Appel pitch, here are some of his highlights from Stanford:
For more on the Astros, be sure to check out the Crawfish Boxes, and for more on the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft, head on over to Minor League Ball.