We took a break from ranking the top college right-handers in the 2012 Draft, last touching on the best left-handers available this June. Jumping back, it’s time to take a look at three guys who could go anywhere from the first to second rounds. One is a standard high-ceiling righty, one is a command/control pitcher, and one is a starter-potential reliever with sometimes-great stuff. Martin Agosta has received a lot of praise out of St. Mary’s, making him one of the most talented pitchers in this class by some reports. Brady Rodgers is a prolific strike-thrower, and has shown the ability to command four different pitches over at Arizona State. One of the best ACC pitchers coming out of college this June might just be Branden Kline. He’s throwing out of the bullpen this spring, but could easily be a valuable starter with his stuff and frame.

One of the less talked about college righties (at least in the earlier part of the spring) would have to be Martin Agosta. His combination of velocity and breaking stuff has to be one of the better in this draft class, and it is already missing bats at a solid rate. I think the stats are a bit behind his overall talent level, as he has quite a bit more room to grow and mature as a pitcher. In Cal Ripken summer league play this past summer, Agosta showed off impressive command and control as well, giving further momentum to his draft stock. His command improved by a large margin in 2011, and so far this year, he’s taken that skill a step further. Agosta is more deceptive and harder to hit this year, and might just prove to be a steal for teams making selections in the latter half of the first round.

Compared to Agosta, he might not have the strongest pure stuff, but Brady Rodgers more than makes up for it with command and polish on the mound. More importantly, he can takes much more advantage of it than pitchers with a similar types of skill set. Rodgers can not only control the strike zone, he can also miss bats at a very solid rate, mainly a product of his multiple off-speed offerings. Not that one should totally sleep on his fastball though. It might not be the most sexy pitch, but the ASU righty commands it well, all the way up to 90 mph at times. His walk rate has taken a bump up this year, and Rodgers strikeout rate has not done much to offset the loss in performance. He’ll need to continue to show impeccable command and control to end up somewhere in the late first, supplemental first, or second rounds.

Branden Kline is one of the more interesting right-handers coming out of the college ranks this year. He had spent a fair amount of time in the bullpen prior to this year (mainly because he had trouble throwing strikes), where his plus stuff lacked the opportunity to grow further. In his new starting role this spring, his game hasn’t quite come together the way some expected, but Kline is definitely still missing bats and showing off great stuff at times. Unfortunately for him he still has trouble commanding the strike zone, and that may ultimately push him to the supplemental first or second rounds. On the bright side, his plus velocity and sometimes-great off-speed stuff should keep him from falling too far, no matter how little he improves upon his command.

Taking a break from writing on the top college RHP in the 2012 Draft, we’re only shifting gears slightly. There are a number of interesting left-handers as well, and the ones mentioned here stand a great chance of going sometime in the first round if they keep it up. There will be all kinds of talent coming out of U of Florida this June, and the highest pick might be Brian Johnson. The lefty has plenty of polish, and has shown the ability to throw three different pitches well. I think most expected a little better results from him on the mound this year though. Andrew Heaney is quickly showing himself to be one of, if not the, best left-handers with his efforts pitching for Oklahoma State. He’s striking out tons this year, with great command, a solid fastball, and improving breaking stuff. Stanford’s Brett Mooneyham might have been overshadowed by rotation-mate Mark Appel coming into the year, but that’s no longer true this spring. The big lefty missed 2011 with an arm injury, and is quickly making up for lost time.

Brian Johnson has been the top-rated college LHP in this class for most of the past year. He has the build and athleticism that teams want, and the potential on the mound to still get a lot better as a pro. Johnson’s fastball is solid for a left-handed pitcher, above-average probably, but it’s his secondary stuff (and the feel that he has for it) that makes him a good possibility to go in the first round. By most accounts, his slider is his most valuable pitch right now in terms of generating grounders and missing bats, though Johnson’s change-up is quickly improving as well. Further improvement with the latter will cement his status as a first-round pick. There are a number of other college pitchers ranks that throw two pitches well. Johnson’s ability to throw a fastball, change, and slider for strikes will put him above many of the other college arms, even if his ceiling might not be as high. What’s most especially interesting about him is that he could be a legitimate first-base prospect for a number of teams as well with a nice lefty power stroke.

Over at Oklahoma State, Andrew Heaney is coming on strong not just amongst college LHP, but among all college pitchers. He’s posted a fantastic K/BB ratio (one of the best in Division I) so far this year with one of the best all-around combinations of stuff and command. You could easily argue that Heaney has the best fastball of all college LHP, running it up to the mid 90s when’s he on. Working off of that, he throws a strong slider as well, which is one of the big reasons for the large improvement in his performance this year. The lefty began this trend back in the summer during Cape Cod action, where he showed himself to be one of the top 3 lefties there. As he’s solidified his mechanics through the past year, his stuff has also improved. Heaney has always been one that scouts have monitored (ever since HS), and that’s starting to show up a lot this year. With his combination of well-above average pure stuff, smooth mechanics, and strong command, he looks well on his way to going in the first if he keeps this up.

Last but not least is the talented Brett Mooneyham. He was already on the radar before this season began, and he’s proving all those who had faith in the TJ surgery patient correct. His stuff has come back to him following his rehab of last year, so that may almost be a good sign for teams looking at him. He has the build and the stuff that teams are looking for in a left-handed pitcher, especially in the velocity department. The Stanford lefty has been all over the map the past year in terms of velocity (high 80s to mid 90s), but that’s to be expected from a guy just coming off of a Tommy John procedure. Better command will go a long way for Mooneyham and his draft stock, as his breaking stuff has plus potential. It’s just a matter of throwing it for strikes more. If he can do that, he’s right behind Heaney and Johnson as far as college LHP go.

Next up: Holby Milner (Texas), Alex Wood (Georgia), Lex Rutledge (Samford)

As we already covered in a recent post, there’s a very nice group of college right-handers available in this year’s draft. Continuing on with that theme, we’ll cover three more righties that could have lots of value for whatever organization they end up with. The Duke Blue Devils made a quick exit this March, but they have a slight consolation prize on the baseball diamond. Marcus Stroman boasts two plus offerings and solid command, though some have questioned if he has the build to be a starter. Georgia Southern’s Chris Beck is one of the most polished pitchers in this class, and likely also has one of the highest floors of all college pitchers. Jake Barrett was in the conversation for #1 overall throughout last year with Arizona State, but a lack of command and move to the bullpen has changed things.

One of the more underrated arms (in terms of starters) in this draft class is Marcus Stroman. Both his fastball and breaking ball have graded out consistently good throughout college, arguably being one of the best two-pitch mixes in this college crop. Unfortunately for him, he only stands 5-foot-9, and that’s gotten him pegged squarely as a bullpen arm by some. While there is some obvious justification there, you can’t relegate Stroman to a short relief role simply because of stature. His physical build and aggressive nature on the mound both feed his plus stuff, and should be an asset as a starter, as long as that intensity doesn’t lead to arm troubles. I can’t say that there is anything that is particularly alarming about his delivery, but that is also speaking from a very limited sample size of viewings online. Aside from his well above-average two-pitch mix, his command has been impressive the past year and a half. When you look at the combination of stuff and command that Stroman has, it makes him a very interesting target somewhere in the first round.

At the beginning of this college season, Chris Beck stood out to me as one of those college pitchers that could move quickly once going pro. The Georgia Southern righty has shown off a solid three pitch mix fairly consistently in the past, with his fastball and breaking ball being the most stand-out pitches. He hasn’t been quite as dominating this year though, and as such it finds him somewhere outside of the top tier of college pitchers. The big issue this year is that Beck’s been a little more hittable than in the past, and his stuff a little less consistent. When he’s on, low-to-mid 90s velocity has been seen, and a quality slider around the mid 80s is featured as well. Most notable might be a slowly-improving change-up though. If Beck can make that a more consistent offering (with good drop, changing speeds/angle), that should do some good for his draft stock.

Speaking of stuff, Arizona State’s Jake Barrett sure isn’t short on it. If the righty is going good on the mound, he has first-round stuff by most accounts. Barrett is capable of running his fastball up to the upper 90s, although mid 90s is to be expected on a more consistent basis. As far as his secondary stuff goes, it might not always be there, but when it is the Sun Devils’ closer can certainly miss a lot of bats with it. The 6-foot-3, 230 lbs. pitcher can lean on his fastball right now because it has great life to go with that premium velocity. More than anything, he needs to concentrate on commanding his top two pitches. If Barrett can be a better strike thrower within the zone, there’s no telling what he can do. Not to mention it will convince a number of teams that his recent move to the bullpen is only a temporary one. With his stuff, it seems rather likely that whichever team drafts him will try him out in the rotation first.

The prep ranks should produce more high-end talent this year, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore those coming out of college this year. Especially because the most high-end college talent this year should be on the mound. For the purposes of this post, we’ll try and concentrate on the best of a very solid group of right-handers. Stanford’s Mark Appel has been in the discussion for #1 overall since last year, with a big, projectable frame and top-of-the-rotation stuff. Over at LSU, Kevin Gausman has been on scouts radar ever since he was draft-eligible coming out of high school. One of the lesser-heralded righties this year should come out of Texas A&M. Michael Wacha‘s solid velocity and plus change-up can miss bats and get solid ground-ball rates (though he needs a better breaking pitch). Last but not least is San Francisco’s Kyle Zimmer, he of much draft-stock helium. Though he is newer to pitching and therefore less consistent on the mound, Zimmer’s shown fantastic stuff on the mound. And these aren’t even all the names one could cram into the first tier (although the rest each have their little flaws).

It is still early enough in the year to leave Mark Appel as the top pitcher in this group, but it’s becoming harder and harder to do so with some of the excellent arms waiting in line. Appel’s frame (6’5″, 215 lbs.) is ready for full-time pro ball, though still having just enough room to add on some more muscle. He was the best of a weak Team USA roster this summer, showing the ability to stay in games and miss bats. Appel showed a similar aptitude for pitching in the spring immediately prior, but not without a particular flaw. Though his stuff is strong, he has yet to show strikeout rates or opposing offensive statistics that reflect it. Similar issues have been mentioned this year, and most specifically it’s being mentioned that his delivery lacks deception. This shouldn’t keep teams from drafting him high in the first round. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it’s the type of flaw that a pro coaching staff can work with and improve upon, but the possibility is there, no matter how slight. Even with the lack of deception, a solid innings-eating 2 starter is worth a lot to most any team.

Kevin Gausman is the best mix of consistency and ceiling in this group. The LSU righty has shown the stuff, ability to make adjustments, and track record to earn himself a selection in the top 10, though more likely it will be within the top 5 picks. His velocity is probably only rivaled (on a per-game average basis) by Duke’s Marcus Stroman (among college RHP), though Appel and Zimmer have both sat where Gausman has at times. His change-up has continued to improve this year, and he is slowly showing the ability to throw a more consistent breaking ball. Statistically speaking, Gausman has always been a strong pitcher, missing bats and limiting strong contact by opposing offenses. Unfortunately for him, without a consistent breaking ball (that actually keeps hitters honest) he can’t quite be a true #1 starter in the professional game. That’s beginning to change quite a bit this season, and it might just make him the best RHP in the entire draft.

The Aggies lean on Michael Wacha in their weekend games, and professional teams will lean on him as a polished inning-eater after he become part of an organization. He’s always been known more as a strong fastball/change-up pitcher who can keep hitters off balance and miss a fair amount of bats. Wacha can get strikeouts, throw lots of innings, and limit hits enough to be a valuable piece of any rotation. What he has yet to do is show a good breaking pitch. Like others, he’s shown one from time to time, but by the sound of things, he has yet to make big improvements with it this year. Because of that, he will have a very tough time being the first or even second college righty taken this year. Though don’t be disappointed by any means if your team ends up with Wacha somewhere in the middle of the first round.

One of the more interesting guys to follow as June comes closer is Kyle Zimmer. He might just ride all of the positive press he’s been getting all the way to a top 10 or even top 5 pick. The right hander had a great summer campaign in Cape Cod action, and his stuff continues to impress this spring. Zimmer’s been showing off big-time mid to high 90s velocity and plus breaking ball that have some thinking he can be a top-of-the-rotation option in time. Especially because he’s new enough to pitching to still have a lot more to learn and improve upon. He very well may be a more high risk/high reward than others, but most teams will have an incredibly hard time turning down blue-chip starting pitching. In a draft that is lacking in high-end talent he’s definitely one to keep a close eye on, especially for those teams that are making selections just outside of the top tier of talent.

Next up: Top College RHP (Part 2)! – Stroman v. Beck. v. Barrett

Of all the college positions, the most high-end talent may come from third base in this draft year (although don’t count out the current draft-eligible catchers either). On Stanford alone, one could argue that two very talented hitters exist in Stephen Piscotty and Kenny Diekroeger. On a talented Arkansas roster, Matt Reynolds seems to be putting together a complete season after struggling in his first two years. Over in the ACC, Richie Shaffer has some interesting hit and power tools.  Finally, over in the West Coast Conference, Patrick Wisdom is lesser-known, but might just rival most any college third baseman with the bat.

As it stands now, Piscotty is the strongest candidate of this group to be selected before anyone else. Between his strong hit tool and strong arm, he might just have the talent to keep that fact from changing before June. While he was already on many teams’ 2012 Draft boards, Piscotty really put himself on the map with a great showing in Cape Cod play this summer (.349, 3 HRs, 13 bb/14 Ks, 29 games). So far this spring at Stanford, he’s even shown a good bit of power, more than some expected out of him. It’s likely he will need to do it more consistently throughout his junior year to really convince teams of his long-term power potential. On the other side of the ball, he certainly has the arm strength for the hot corner and also did a lot to improve his overall play at the position this past summer. Better grades for his power and defensive tools will really push his draft stock up.

Matt Reynolds does not have the most consistent track record throughout college, but he’s a quality defender that does have strong potential at the plate. He has slowly begun to show more of that potential this year. Admittedly, he’ll need to keep doing it to prove that he’s worth an early-round pick of the draft. Reynolds is probably one of the more raw guys of this group, but he could be one of the better all-around players at the position. There are definitely questions around Reynolds, but the biggest might be his overall power potential. It remains to be seen if he can be productive enough for a corner position, so the possibility does exist that he might be a tweener as a professional.

If teams are looking for the best blend of power and hit tools at the hot corner, Richie Shaffer might be their best bet. The only problem is that he might not end up at the position as a professional. There are a number of questions about his defense at third, though it is possible he could be an average defender in time. He’s spent the majority of his college career at first base, where his defense has been rated well, so it’s not like Shaffer is guaranteed to be terrible at third. He has one of the best mixes of plate discipline and power in this group, so even if he fails defensively, an organization can still get plenty of value out of his bat.

Patrick Wisdom has some impressive offensive upside, and might be one of the best power prospects at third base. He’s hit well with wood bats as well during summer league action, so he shouldn’t have to do much to convince teams that his power is legitimate. There’s plenty of loft and lots of bat speed in his swing, so he’s naturally inclined to hit for power. Unfortunately for him, he may fall into that same category of having impressive power while also possibly needing to shift over to first base eventually. Wisdom might be one of the best all-around athletes in this group, and it’s shown in flashes throughout his college career. The red flag with him revolves around his approach at the plate. It’s likely that he’ll need to sharpen things up a bit as a pro to really put his power into play in games.

Among community college bats, Fernando Perez is an athletic option who is ahead of others on the age curve (exiting high school early). Purdue’s Cameron Perkins is an all-around solid college third baseman. He has shown a nice mix of pop and stolen base potential in college, while also hitting consistently in the Big 10. Georgia Southern gets most of its attention from righty Chris Beck and the recently injury Victor Roache, but Eric Phillips should not be ignored. The senior infielder has a mature approach at the plate, has a solid hit tool, and can even be a value on the base paths. He’s played plenty of shortstop in college as well, and considering his limited power potential, he may be kind of a tweener.