On a Charleston team featuring what may be the deepest roster in minor league baseball, New York Yankees Angelo Gumbs stood out as having the best bat speed of the bunch. Now 19, the former second round pick originally signed for $750,000 as a centerfielder considered to be strong on tools, but short on actual baseball skills. Two years later, Gumbs is more than holding his own in full season baseball offensively and has made a move on defense to the keystone position. And while a .274/.322/.444 line including 22/25 in stolen base attempts doesn’t jump off the stat page, age-versus-level considerations make it all the more impressive – especially considering his lack of polish.

Video after the jump

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In the 2011 draft, Baltimore drafted prep catcher/third baseman Nicky Delmonico in the sixth round for a bonus of 1.525 million. Entering the 2011 high school season, the Knoxville, Tennessee product and son of former Volunteers head coach Rod Delmonico was expected to be a first round pick before injuries and bonus demands caused him to slip. Additionally, a strong commitment to the University of Georgia and opportunity to play alongside his older brother made him an extremely hard sign. However, the Orioles ponied up the cash and somewhat surprisingly signed the left-handed hitter causing him to instantly become one of the top position prospects in the organization.

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On April eighth, Mariners top pitching prospect Danny Hultzen allowed five earned runs in his first Double-A start. Since then, the University of Virginia product has taken the hill a dozen times for the Jackson Generals allowing only five additional earned runs. This stretch of consecutive dominant outings has Mariners fans and prospect fans alike wondering how long it will take for Hultzen to be called up to the show. His success has left me wondering if as a child, Danny Hultzen was the type to constantly ask his parents “are we there yet?” on long road trips. If so, then the left-hander is probably busy texting “Is it time yet?” to Mariners higher-ups as his combination of stuff and performance is Seattle ready.

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Cam Bedrosian, RHP, Los Angeles Angels
Current Level: A
2012 Top 15 Prospects Ranking: 14th
Current Value: Underrated

The 29th overall selection in the 2010 draft, Bedrosian was one of my favorite prep arms available that year. He made just five appearances, though, before hurting his elbow and undergoing Tommy John surgery. Just 17 when he was draft, the right-hander is still just 20 years old so time is on his side. Bedrosian currently has a modest 4.50 ERA in nine starts but he’s given up just one home run and 32 hits in 36.0 innings. His control has been off – which is typical with pitchers returning from this particular surgery – and he’s walked 21 batters. We really shouldn’t read too much into the California native’s numbers this year and I remain excited about his potential – either as a high-leverage reliever like his father Steve Bedrosian or as a mid-rotation starter.

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Jordan Danks, OF, Chicago White Sox
Current Level: MLB
2012 Top 15 Prospects Ranking: NR
Current Value: Static

Danks was a top amateur prospect while in high school but he told teams he would not sign because he wanted to play college ball at the University of Texas. John Danks‘ little brother followed through on his promise (It wasn’t the usual negotiation ploy) and he had a solid but unspectacular college career. After being drafted by the White Sox, Danks also had what can be best described as a decent minor league career but he struggled with strikeouts and a low batting average. The 25-year-old outfielder is a plus defender and a very good athlete but, despite his solid 2012 numbers in triple-A, his overall ceiling is limited to that of a fourth outfielder. He should still carve out a respectable career but Baseball America once ranked him as the 37th best draft prospect in 2005, ahead of the likes of Austin Jackson, Chase Headley, Matt Garza, Jeremy Hellickson, and Tim Lincecum.

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Bobby Borchering, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Current Level: A+
2012 Top 15 Prospects Ranking: 7th
Current Value: Holding Steady

Borchering (16th) and Matt Davidson (35th) were both selected prior to the second round of the 2009 amateur draft and both were drafted as third basemen. Davidson has thrived in pro ball and is already in double-A. On the other hand, Borchering’s approach at the plate has left something to be desired and has resulted in low walk rates and high strikeout rates and it has hampered his development. That remains true in 2012 but his results have been getting a little bit better with each month as he repeats high-A ball. Now an outfielder, Borchering is hitting for power (32 extra base hits in 64 games) but he may never hit for average unless he makes more adjustments and learns to identify and handle breaking balls. A switch-hitter, the 21-year-old doesn’t hit left-handers very well and focusing solely on swinging from the left side might help him improve a little bit quicker.

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Kaleb Cowart, 3B, Los Angeles Angels
Current Level: A
2012 Top 15 Prospects Ranking: 2nd
Current Value: Rising

The Angels’ first round pick from 2010, Cowart is enjoying his first year in full-season ball. He’s currently hitting .294 with 24 extra base hits in 57 games. The third baseman started the year with average numbers in April but he heated up in May with 16 extra base hits, including six homers, and a .310 batting average. He also walked 11 times, compared to just four free passes in April. Cowart, 20, has seen his wRC+ jump to 138. A switch-hitter, he’s hitting for average against both right-handers and left-handers but his slugging percentage is .100 higher as a left-handed batter. Cowart is looking like a future impact hitter at the hot corner.

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Bobby Bundy, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
Current Level: AA
2012 Top 15 Prospects Ranking: 5th
Current Value: Leveled Off

Dylan Bundy’s big brother started to realize his potential in 2011 at high-A ball but he’s found the going much tougher at double-A in 2012. Bundy, 22, posted a 2.75 ERA in 121 innings last year but his ERA has jumped to 5.46 in 59.1 innings this season. He’s been inconsistent with three good starts and three bad starts in his last six appearances. His strikeout rate has dropped more than 1 K per nine innings from 2011 and his walk rate has increased by more than one base-on-balls per nine. At 6’2” 215 lbs, and with a solid repertoire, Bundy has the chance to develop into a workhorse in a big league starting rotation but he could end up in the bullpen if he cannot become more consistent.

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Clayton Blackburn, RHP, San Francisco Giants
Current Level: A
2012 Top 15 Prospects Ranking: 12th
Current Value: Skyrocketing

Blackburn, 19, is having a breakout season in his first full year in the minors. The right-hander has struck out 62 batters in 53.1 while issuing just 10 walks. He’s also induced a high number of ground-ball outs while allowing just one home run. Blackburn has allowed one run in his last three starts (22.1 IP) with 11 hits and two walks allowed. He’s struck out 21.The Texas native has now made 22 appearances over the past two seasons and has yet to truly struggle. Signed to an over-slot contract as a 16th round draft pick in 2011, Blackburn has the ceiling of a No. 2 or 3 starter. The Giants organization just continues to find a way to identify and develop top-shelf pitching prospects.

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It’s draft day.

The first round (and supplemental 1st) is scheduled for tonight, beginning at 7 p.m. EST, and the next 39 rounds will be on Tuesday, June 5 (rounds two through 15) and Wednesday, June 6 (rounds 16 through 40), beginning at noon EST on both days. I’ll be live blogging the first round of the draft beginning at 7 p.m. eastern.

It’s pretty much a forgone conclusion that Houston will take Stanford right-hander Mark Appel with the first overall selection. After that, though, there are still plenty of rumors flying around. Below is my best educated guess on how the first round will play out, based on industry rumours and discussions with baseball officials and scouts. I recently wrote a post detailing my personal draft board.

1. Houston Astros: Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford U

2. Minnesota Twins: Byron Buxton, OF, Georgia HS

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