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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During the 2011 season, Mariners Taijuan Walker quickly morphed from project to one of the best pitching prospects in baseball. Entering 2012, an aggressive assignment to Double-A skipped him past the hitters’ paradise of the California League. The upper level assignment was expected to challenge the teenage right-hander. However, with a 2.86 FIP, nearly a strikeout per inning and more than a three-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio, Walker has posted one of the most impressive lines in minor league baseball when one takes age-versus-level into consideration.

Of course this level of success will lead to prospect speculation of his being ready for Seattle, but Walker still needs to add plenty of polish at the minor league level to unlock all of the potential his right arm holds. Given his present success, the idea Walker is far from a finished product is a scary proposition for future opponents.

Video after the jump

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The first round of the annual MLB Amateur Draft kicks off Monday night, June 4, at 7 pm eastern. Below, you’ll find a recap of each National League club’s first round picks from the past four years, as well as an overall grade and comments on noticeable trends. I’ve also included some notes and thoughts on the names being linked to each club for the 2012 draft. I looked at the American League teams on Friday.

Atlanta Braves
2008: DNP
2009: Mike Minor, LHP, College
2010: DNP
2011: Sean Gilmartin, LHP, College
Grade: C-

Atlanta has gone for college arms in the first round recently and could look at college righty Pierce Johnson. College third baseman Stephen Piscotty is another name I’ve heard. There are rumblings that they could be looking at Georgia natives Victor Roache, a college outfielder who would go much higher if he had not been hurt, and Lucas Sims, a prep right-hander. College outfielder Mitch Haniger keeps popping up for Atlanta too but would be an over-draft.

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The first round of the annual MLB Amateur Draft kicks off Monday night, June 4, at 7 pm eastern. Below, you’ll find a recap of each American League club’s first round picks from the past four years, as well as an overall grade and comments on noticeable trends. I’ve also included some notes and thoughts on the names being linked to each club for the 2012 draft.

New York Yankees
2008: Gerrit Cole, RHP, Prep (Did Not Sign)
2009: Slade Heathcott, OF, Prep
2010: Cito Culver, SS, Prep
2011: DNP
Grade: C-

New York picks at the end of the first round in 2012 so it’s hard to know exactly who might fall to them but history tells us that they’ll likely be leaning towards taking a prep player. The system could use some arms and the organization is known to be fond of Mitch Gueller. The organization is constantly fighting an uphill battle with low draft slots but New York scouts are quite savvy so I know some high-ceiling talent will be found.

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Jesse Biddle, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies
Current Level: A+
2012 Top 15 Prospects Ranking: 2nd
Current Value: On the Rise

Biddle continues to make big strides in his development. The 20-year-old southpaw is close to overtaking Trevor May as the best pitcher in the system – if he hasn’t already. Biddle has made 10 high-A starts but he hasn’t allowed more than two runs in his last seven appearances. He’s struck out 27 in his last four games. The lefty’s control remains inconsistent but it’s much improved over last year at low-A (4.47 to 3.22 BB/9). With 35 A-ball appearances under his belt since the beginning of 2011, Biddle is probably ready for a promotion to double-A and he has the ceiling of a No. 2 or 3 starter.

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