2012 MLB Draft Rewind: Every Team’s Best Pick and 1st-Round Redraft
2012 MLB Draft Rewind: Every Team’s Best Pick and 1st-Round Redraft0 of 31
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The 2024 MLB draft is fast approaching, with the festivities scheduled to begin on July 14 during All-Star weekend. And leading up to this year’s event, we’re going to be taking a look back at recent draft classes.
Ahead is a deep dive into each team’s best selection of the 2012 draft, which was a somewhat arbitrary starting point in this series that gave us a majority of players who are still active.
Each team’s best pick is chosen based on their overall accomplishments in the big leagues, not just what they did during their time with the team that drafted them. For example, Paul Sewald is the pick for the New York Mets, even though he didn’t break out until after he was non-tendered by the team.
Only players who signed are eligible, so guys such as Alex Bregman, Walker Buehler, Dansby Swanson who were selected but honored their college commitments will be included down the road as part of the draft class when they did sign.
Finally, this draft rewind wraps up with a full 2012 first-round redraft to give an idea of what the board might have looked like with the benefit of hindsight.
Arizona Diamondbacks: 3B Jake Lamb1 of 31
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Drafted: 6th round, No. 213 overall
His peak was a short one, but Jake Lamb had a pair of terrific seasons hitting in the middle of the Arizona Diamondbacks lineup.
2016: 114 OPS+, .249/.332/.509, 69 XBH (29 HR), 91 RBI, 2.8 WAR2017: 112 OPS+, .248/.357/.487, 64 XBH (30 HR), 105 RBI, 2.0 WARHe played just 261 games over the next five seasons following his excellent 2017 campaign, and he last appeared in the majors in 2022.
However, he is currently hitting .310/.395/.446 over 218 plate appearances with the Pirates Triple-A affiliate, so he could get another shot at some point this year.
Other Notable Picks: RHP Jake Barrett (3-120), SS Andrew Velazquez (7-243)
Atlanta Braves: LHP Alex Wood2 of 31
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Drafted: 2nd round, No. 85 overall
Left-hander Alex Wood made his MLB debut the year after he was drafted, and he spent three-and-a-half seasons in the Atlanta rotation before being traded to the Dodgers at the 2015 deadline in a massive three-team, 14-player deal that also involved the Marlins.
He was an All-Star and finished ninth in NL Cy Young voting in 2017 when he went 16-3 with a 2.72 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 151 strikeouts in 152.1 innings. He has 77 wins and a 3.78 ERA over 1,258 career innings in the majors.
The 33-year-old signed a one-year, $8.5 million deal with the Athletics during the offseason, joining his fifth different team in the process.
Other Notable Picks: RHP Lucas Sims (1-21), RHP Shae Simmons (22-689)
Baltimore Orioles: RHP Kevin Gausman3 of 31
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Drafted: 1st round, No. 4 overall
The first pitcher taken in the 2012 draft, Kevin Gausman was also the first player drafted in the first round to reach the majors as he made his MLB debut on May 23, 2013.
He showed flashes over parts of six seasons in Baltimore, but he never quite developed into a frontline starter, and the same was true of his time in Atlanta and Cincinnati.
Everything finally clicked during the shortened 2020 season with the Giants, and since the start of that year, he has a 3.24 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 817 strikeouts in 681 innings as one of the best pitchers in baseball.
With current D-backs first baseman Christian Walker and five-time All-Star closer Josh Hader also part of this draft haul, the O’s did a great job finding guys who would develop into stars while playing elsewhere.
Other Notable Picks: RHP Branden Kline (2-65), 1B Christian Walker (4-132), LHP Josh Hader (19-582)
Boston Red Sox: RHP Ty Buttrey4 of 31
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Drafted: 4th round, No. 151 overall
The Red Sox’s best pick in the 2012 draft was undoubtedly Alex Bregman in the 29th round, but he was widely viewed as unsignable and honored his commitment to LSU before emerging as one of the top prospects in the 2015 draft.
That left relievers Ty Buttrey and J.B. Wendelken as the most productive players they drafted and signed:
Buttrey: 115 G, 11 SV, 34 HLD, 4.30 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 9.5 K/9, 1.3 WARWendelken: 144 G, 2 SV, 12 HLD, 4.00 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 8.5 K/9, 1.3 WARAll of those appearances for both pitchers came after they left the Boston organization.
Other Notable Picks: SS Deven Marrero (1-24), LHP Brian Johnson (1-31), RHP Pat Light (1-37), RHP Jamie Callahan (2-87), RHP Austin Maddox (3-118), RHP Justin Haley (6-211), SS Mike Miller (9-301), RHP J.B. Wendelken (13-421)
Chicago Cubs: OF Albert Almora Jr.5 of 31
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Drafted: 1st round, No. 6 overall
Thought to be a key piece of the Chicago Cubs’ rebuilding efforts, Albert Almora Jr. never quite developed into the everyday center fielder he was expected to become, but he was a useful fourth outfielder on the 2016 World Series team.
He tallied 3.5 WAR over 489 games in five seasons with the Cubs before he was non-tendered prior to the 2020 season. He spent one year each with the Mets and Reds, and he is now suiting up for the D-backs Triple-A affiliate.
Pitchers Paul Blackburn and Pierce Johnson have both found success since leaving Chicago, while infielder David Bote is still an active member of the 2024 Cubs.
Other Notable Picks: RHP Pierce Johnson (1-43), RHP Paul Blackburn (1-56), RHP Duane Underwood Jr. (2-67), IF David Bote (18-554)
Chicago White Sox: RHP Brandon Brennan6 of 31
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Drafted: 4th round, No. 141 overall
This was an ugly draft for the Chicago White Sox, though for a short time, it did look like speedy Micah Johnson might be an impact player.
He hit .312/.373/.452 with 46 extra-base hits and 84 steals in 131 games across three minor league levels, but he was eventually traded to the Dodgers in a three-team deal that brought Todd Frazier to the South Siders.
Reliever Brandon Brennan ultimately found the most MLB success of any player the White Sox selected, posting a 4.56 ERA with eight holds in 44 games out of the Mariners bullpen in 2019 as a Rule 5 pick. He made just six more big league appearances after that season.
Other Notable Picks: RHP Chris Beck (2-76), 2B Micah Johnson (9-291), OF Jason Coats (29-891)
Cincinnati Reds: OF Jesse Winker7 of 31
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Drafted: 1st round, No. 49 overall
One of the best pure hitters in the 2012 draft class, Jesse Winker appeared on the Baseball America Top 100 prospect list prior to the 2015, 2016 and 2018 seasons.
After showing flashes during his first three years in the big leagues, he finally broke out during the abridged 2020 season. He followed that up with the best numbers of his career in 2021 when he hit .305/.394/.556 for a 143 OPS+ with 32 doubles, 24 home runs and 71 RBI while earning his only All-Star selection.
The 30-year-old was traded to Seattle prior to the 2022 season in the deal that also sent Eugenio SuĂĄrez to the Mariners, and after a down year with the Brewers in 2023, he has resurfaced as a solid bat for the rebuilding Nationals this year.
Other Notable Picks: RHP Jon Moscot (4-142), C Joe Hudson (6-202), 3B Seth Mejias-Brean (8-262), RHP Jackson Stephens (18-562), SS Zach Vincej (37-1,132)
Cleveland Guardians: IF Joey Wendle8 of 31
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Drafted: 6th round, No. 203 overall
The Guardians traded infielder Joey Wendle to Oakland prior to the 2015 season in exchange for veteran slugger Brandon Moss before he made his MLB debut, and he has since developed into a useful utility infielder.
He finished fourth in 2018 AL Rookie of the Year voting after he was traded again to Tampa Bay, and he was an All-Star in 2021 when he put together a 3.6-WAR season.
Despite a middling 92 OPS+ in 2,337 career plate appearances, he has racked up 13.3 WAR over nine seasons, with much of his value stemming from his strong defensive metrics at second base (1,901.0 INN, 29 DRS), shortstop (1,418.0 INN, 14 DRS) and third base (1,589.2 INN, 1 DRS).
Other Notable Picks: OF Tyler Naquin (1-15), RHP Louis Head (18-563)
Colorado Rockies: OF David Dahl9 of 31
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Drafted: 1st round, No. 10 overall
David Dahl hit .315/.359/.500 over 237 plate appearances as a 22-year-old rookie in 2016, and while a stress fracture in his rib ended up costing him the entire next season, he picked up right where he left off upon returning.
He posted a 113 OPS+ over 271 plate appearances in 2018, and the following year he was an All-Star when he hit .302/.353/.524 with 28 doubles, 15 home runs and 61 RBI in a career-high 100 games.
Injuries ultimately ended his time in Colorado, and he has made brief stints with the Rangers, Padres and now Phillies in the years since.
He has gone 4-for-10 with one double and two home runs since the Phillies called him up from Triple-A earlier this month.
Other Notable Picks: RHP Eddie Butler (1-46), C Tom Murphy (3-105), RHP Matt Carasiti (6-198), RHP Scott Oberg (15-468)
Detroit Tigers: 2B Devon Travis10 of 31
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Drafted: 13th round, No. 424 overall
After he emerged as one of the steals of the 2012 draft and a leaguewide Top 100 prospect, the Tigers swapped Devon Travis to the Blue Jays in exchange for fellow top prospect Anthony Gose prior to the 2015 season.
He made his MLB debut later that year and was one of the game’s most promising young infielders during his first two seasons in the big leagues.
2015: 239 PA, 131 OPS+, .304/.361/.498, 26 XBH, 2.1 WAR2016: 432 PA, 108 OPS+, .300/.332/.454, 40 XBH, 2.5 WARA knee injury limited him to 50 games in 2017, and he struggled upon returning the following year in what would be his final professional season.
Other Notable Picks: RHP Jake Thompson (2-91), RHP Drew VerHagen (4-154)
Houston Astros: SS Carlos Correa11 of 31
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Drafted: 1st round, No. 1 overall
The Astros signed Carlos Correa to a $4.8 million bonus as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft, well below the $7.2 million slot value, and that allowed them to sign Lance McCullers Jr. for more than double the slot value at No. 41 overall.
Correa won 2015 AL Rookie of the Year when he posted a 135 OPS+ with 22 home runs and 4.8 WAR in 99 games. From there, he quickly emerged as a foundational roster piece for a contender on the rise.
He posted a 127 OPS+ with 133 home runs and 34.1 WAR over seven seasons in Houston, and he added a .272/.344/.505 line and 18 home runs in 79 playoff games.
Other Notable Picks: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (1-41), SS Nolan Fontana (2-61), RHP Brady Rodgers (3-96), 3B Rio Ruiz (4-129), OF Brett Phillips (6-189), OF Preston Tucker (7-219), C Tyler Heineman (8-249), RHP Mike Hauschild (33-999), RHP Jordan Jankowski (34-1,029)
Kansas City Royals: LHP Matt Strahm12 of 31
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Drafted: 21st round, No. 643 overall
The best late-round steal of the 2012 draft class, Matt Strahm was selected in the 21st round of the 2012 draft out of Neosho County Community College in Kansas where he was teammates with Chicago Cubs infielder David Bote.
Strahm broke out during the 2015 season when he posted a 2.59 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 121 strikeouts in 94 innings, and he made his MLB debut with the Royals the following year.
Over nine big league seasons with the Royals, Padres, Red Sox and Phillies, he has logged a 3.50 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 472 strikeouts in 419.1 innings while filling a variety of roles from starter to late-inning reliever.
The 32-year-old is a legitimate candidate for a spot on the NL All-Star team this year with a 0.67 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and a 39-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 27 innings out of the Phillies bullpen.
Other Notable Picks: RHP Kyle Zimmer (1-5), LHP Sam Selman (2-66), LHP Daniel Stumpf (9-283), RHP Andrew Triggs (19-583), RHP Alec Mills (22-673), RHP Ashton Goudreau (27-823), Jake Newberry (37-1,123)
Los Angeles Angels: RHP Austin Adams13 of 31
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Drafted: 8th round, No. 267 overall
The pick for the Los Angeles Angels was a toss-up between relievers Austin Adams and Yency Almonte, and both were traded before making their MLB debut.
Adams: 164 G, 44 HLD, 4.07 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 13.1 K/9, 1.0 WARAlmonte: 213 G, 37 HLD, 4.44 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 8.7 K/9, 1.0 WARBoth pitchers are still active, with Adams (32 G, 15 HLD, 3.57 ERA, 11.5 K/9) serving in a setup role for the Athletics, while Almonte (17 G, 6 HLD, 3.45 ERA, 11.5 K/9) is on the injured list for the Cubs.
Other Notable Picks: RHP R.J. Alvarez (3-114), SS Eric Stamets (6-207), LHP Michael Roth (9-297), LHP Chris O’Grady (10-327), RHP Mike Morin (13-417), 2B Sherman Johnson (14-447), RHP Yency Almonte (17-537), C Anthony Bemboom (22-687)
Los Angeles Dodgers: SS Corey Seager14 of 31
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Drafted: 1st round, No. 18 overall
The Los Angeles Dodgers made Corey Seager untouchable in trade talks throughout his time in the minors, and he rewarded their belief in him by developing into one of the best shortstops in baseball.
He debuted as a September call-up in 2015 and supplanted veteran Jimmy Rollins as the team’s starting shortstop down the stretch and into the postseason. The following year, he put together a 5.2-WAR rookie season to win Rookie of the Year honors unanimously and finish third in NL MVP balloting.
He went on to post a 131 OPS+ and rack up 21.2 WAR in seven seasons with the Dodgers, and he has added another 13.1 WAR over the first three seasons of his 10-year, $325 million contract with the Rangers. He also won his second World Series MVP award in 2023.
Other Notable Picks: SS Jesmuel ValentĂn (1-51), LHP Paco RodrĂguez (2-82), LHP Onelki GarcĂa (3-113), RHP Ross Stripling (5-176), SS Darnell Sweeney (13-416), RHP Jharel Cotton (20-626), LHP Danny Coulombe (25-776)
Miami Marlins: LHP Andrew Heaney15 of 31
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Drafted: 1st round, No. 9 overall
Left-hander Andrew Heaney has only topped 150 innings once over 11 seasons in the big leagues, but when healthy, he has been an effective starter throughout his career, posting a 4.46 ERA with 969 strikeouts in 916.1 innings.
He pitched just 29.1 innings in a Miami Marlins uniform before he was traded to the Dodgers in a seven-player deal at the 2014 winter meetings that also involved Enrique HernĂĄndez, Dee Strange-Gordon and Dan Haren. Later that day, he was traded again, with the Dodgers flipping him to the Angels for second baseman Howie Kendrick.
The 33-year-old started three games during the Texas Rangers’ playoff run last year, including five innings of four-hit, one-run ball to pick up the win in Game 4 of the World Series.
Other Notable Picks: OF Austin Dean (4-137), C Austin Nola (5-167), RHP Drew Steckenrider (8-257), RHP Nick Wittgren (9-287), RHP Brian Ellington (16-497)
Milwaukee Brewers: OF Mitch Haniger16 of 31
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Drafted: 1st round, No. 38 overall
Two years after he was drafted, Mitch Haniger was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks along with pitching prospect Anthony Banda in exchange for outfielder Gerardo Parra at the 2014 trade deadline.
Two years later and with just 34 big league games under his belt, he was traded again, this time as part of a five-player deal that sent Jean Segura to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Ketel Marte and Taijuan Walker in one of the best swaps in D-backs history.
Haniger went on to find success in Seattle, hitting 107 home runs in five seasons while navigating injuries and peaking with a 39-homer, 100-RBI campaign in 2021. After spending the 2023 season with the Giants, he found his way back to Seattle in an offseason trade.
Other Notable Picks: OF Tyrone Taylor (2-92), RHP Tyler Wagner (4-155), RHP Damien Magnifico (5-185), LHP Anthony Banda (10-335), LHP Brent Suter (31-965)
Minnesota Twins: RHP JosĂ© BerrĂos17 of 31
JosĂ© BerrĂosBrace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images
Drafted: 1st round, No. 32 overall
The Twins had arguably the best draft class of any team in 2012, reeling in Byron Buxton with the No. 2 overall pick and then finding a frontline starter in JosĂ© BerrĂos and a trio of productive relievers in All-Star closer Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey and JT Chargois.
The debate for best pick came down to Buxton vs. BerrĂos, which is essentially a matchup of peak performance against consistency and durability.
Buxton has averaged 5.0 WAR per 162 games, but he has only topped 100 games played once in 10 seasons. BerrĂos has not missed a start over the last six years, posting a 3.96 ERA and 108 ERA+ in 1,009.1 innings during that span.
Sometimes, the best ability is availability.
Other Notable Picks: OF Byron Buxton (1-2), RHP Luke Bard (1-42), RHP JT Chargois (2-72), RHP Tyler Duffey (5-160), LHP Taylor Rogers (11-340)
New York Mets: RHP Paul Sewald18 of 31
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Drafted: 10th round, No. 320 overall
In four seasons with the New York Mets, right-hander Paul Sewald posted a 5.50 ERA and 1.36 WHIP over 125 appearances, flashing swing-and-miss stuff while struggling to find consistency.
He was non-tendered following the 2020 season and caught on with the Seattle Mariners on a minor league deal, then promptly broke out by going 10-3 with a 3.06 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 14.5 K/9 while tallying 11 saves and 16 holds in 62 games.
Now closing games for the Arizona Diamondbacks, he has developed into one of baseball’s most reliable late-inning relievers.
Other Notable Picks: SS Gavin Cecchini (1-12), C Kevin Plawecki (1-35), 3B Matt Reynolds (2-71), RHP Matt Koch (3-107), RHP Corey Oswalt (7-230), C TomĂĄs Nido (8-260), RHP Rob Whalen (12-380), RHP Matt Bowman (13-410), RHP Chris Flexen (14-440), RHP Tim Peterson (20-620)
New York Yankees: 2B Rob Refsnyder19 of 31
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Drafted: 5th round, No. 187 overall
It looked like Peter O’Brien was going to be the star of this draft class for the Yankees when he posted an .893 OPS with 39 doubles, 22 home runs and 96 RBI over 119 games in his first full pro season.
The Yankees ended up using him to acquire MartĂn Prado from the D-backs at the 2014 deadline, and he crushed minor league pitching but never broke through in the majors.
Instead, it’s Rob Refsnyder who has enjoyed the best MLB career from their 2012 draft haul, and he is currently hitting .328/.391/.487 over 134 plate appearances serving in a super-utility role for the rival Red Sox.
Other Notable Picks: C Peter O’Brien (2-94), RHP Nick Goody (6-217), LHP Caleb Frare (11-367), LHP James Pazos (13-427), RHP Brady Lail (18-577), LHP Dietrich Enns (19-607)
Oakland Athletics: 1B Matt Olson20 of 31
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Drafted: 1st round, No. 47 overall
The Athletics drafted two of the most productive power hitters of the past decade in the 2012 draft, taking Matt Olson in the first round and Max Muncy in the fifth, though the latter didn’t find success until the A’s cut him loose and he caught on with the Dodgers.
After posting strong power numbers throughout his time in the minors, Olson burst onto the scene with 24 home runs in 59 games in 2017. He won a pair of Gold Glove Awards and racked up 18.3 WAR in six seasons in Oakland while slugging 142 home runs before he was traded to the Atlanta Braves.
In two-and-a-half seasons in Atlanta, he has added another 97 home runs and 11.9 WAR, including a 54-homer, 139-RBI campaign in 2023. His eight-year, $168 million contract will keep him in a Braves uniform through at least the 2029 season.
Other Notable Picks: SS Addison Russell (1-11), SS Daniel Robertson (1-34), C Bruce Maxwell (2-62), 1B Max Muncy (5-169), RHP Dakota Bacus (9-289), OF Boog Powell (20-619), RHP Ryan Dull (32-979)
Philadelphia Phillies: LHP Hoby Milner21 of 31
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Drafted: 7th round, No. 248 overall
Outfielder Dylan Cozens turned heads with a 40-homer, 125-RBI season at Double-A in 2016, but those numbers were inflated by an extremely hitter-friendly environment and were accompanied by a 31.7 percent strikeout rate.
He went on to hit .154 with 24 strikeouts in 45 plate appearances in the majors before retiring in 2021 to pursue a career in the NFL, earning a tryout with the New England Patriots but failing to secure a contract.
That leaves lefty Hoby Milner as the best pick from a thin Phillies draft class, and while he saw limited action in Philadelphia, he has emerged as a solid bullpen arm in Milwaukee with a 2.98 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 31 holds in 171 appearances since the start of the 2022 season.
Other Notable Picks: OF Dylan Cozens (2-77), SS Zach Green (3-125), 3B Cameron Perkins (6-218), RHP Drew Anderson (21-668)
Pittsburgh Pirates: C Jacob Stallings22 of 31
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Drafted: 7th round, No. 226 overall
The biggest takeaway from the 2012 draft for the Pittsburgh Pirates was failing to sign No. 8 overall pick Mark Appel, who returned to Stanford and went No. 1 overall to the Houston Astros the following year. The Pirates received the No. 9 pick in the 2013 draft as compensation for failing to sign him, selecting Austin Meadows.
As for the best player they did manage to sign, one really good season in 2021 was enough to make catcher Jacob Stallings the pick.
In his first full season as a starter at 31 years old, he won NL Gold Glove honors and tallied 3.0 WAR largely on the strength of his defense. The Pirates sold high during the offseason and traded him to the Marlins, and he caught on with the Rockies this past winter after being non-tendered in Miami.
Other Notable Picks: C Wyatt Mathisen (2-69), RHP Adrian Sampson (5-166), SS Max Moroff (16-496), LHP Josh D. Smith (25-766)
San Diego Padres: LHP Max Fried23 of 31
Zach Eflin, Max Fried and Walker WeickelDenis Poroy/Getty Images
Drafted: 1st round, No. 7 overall
The San Diego Padres selected two of the best pitchers in the entire 2012 draft class in Max Fried and Zach Eflin, but both pitchers were traded before ever reaching the big leagues with the Padres.
Eflin was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Dec. 18, 2014, in the deal that brought Matt Kemp to San Diego, then flipped again a day later to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Jimmy Rollins.
The day after Elfin was traded to the Dodgers, Fried was sent to the Atlanta Braves as part of a four-player package to acquire outfielder Justin Upton. The 2015 Padres ended up being one of the most disappointing teams in recent memory, while Eflin and Fried both found success elsewhere.
Other Notable Picks: RHP Zach Eflin (1-33), OF Travis Jankowski (1-44), RHP Walker Lockett (4-135), OF Mallex Smith (5-165), OF Wynton Bernard (35-1,065)
San Francisco Giants: 3B Matt Duffy24 of 31
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Drafted: 18th round, No. 568 overall
Matt Duffy was one of the surprise stars of the 2015 season, hitting .295/.334/.428 for a 108 OPS+ with 28 doubles, 12 home runs and 77 RBI while tallying 3.9 WAR to finish runner-up to Kris Bryant in NL Rookie of the Year voting.
The following year he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in a deal to acquire left-hander Matt Moore, and after dealing with some injury issues he eventually settled into a utility role.
He has tallied 9.3 WAR over eight seasons in the majors, most recently playing at the highest level for the Kansas City Royals in 2023. The 33-year-old is currently playing with the Texas Rangers Triple-A affiliate.
Other Notable Picks: RHP Chris Stratton (1-20), OF Mac Williamson (3-115), LHP Steven Okert (4-148), LHP Ty Blach (5-178), C Trevor Brown (10-328)
Seattle Mariners: RHP Edwin DĂaz25 of 31
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Drafted: 3rd round, No. 98 overall
Puerto Rico has produced some solid pitching talent over the past 15 years, and 2012 draft picks JosĂ© BerrĂos and Edwin DĂaz are right at the top of that list.
Originally developed as a starter, DĂaz moved to the bullpen at the Double-A level in 2016 and later that year he jumped over Triple-A and straight to the majors where he quickly emerged as Seattle’s closer, tallying 18 saves with a 2.79 ERA and 15.3 K/9 in 49 games to finish fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting.
Two years later, he converted 57 of 61 save chances with a 1.96 ERA and 15.2 K/9 to firmly establish himself as one of the game’s elite relievers. That offseason he was traded to the New York Mets in the Robinson CanĂł deal, and his 210 career saves currently rank fourth among active pitchers.
Other Notable Picks: C Mike Zunino (1-3), 3B Patrick Kivlehan (4-131), SS Chris Taylor (5-161), SS Tim Lopes (6-191), RHP Dominic Leone (16-491)
St. Louis Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha26 of 31
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Drafted: 1st round, No. 19 overall
One of the first players from the 2012 draft class to reach the majors, Michael Wacha made his MLB debut on May 30, 2013.
That postseason, he outdueled NL Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw in Game 2 (6.2 IP, 5 H, 0 ER) and Game 6 (7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER) of the NLCS to win MVP honors and help the Cardinals advance to the World Series.
Injuries kept him from developing into a true staff ace, and he has made 30 starts just twice in 12 seasons, but when healthy he has been extremely effective with a 3.98 ERA and 1,201 strikeouts in 1,356.0 innings of work.
Other Notable Picks: OF Stephen Piscotty (1-36), 3B Patrick Wisdom (1-52), C Carson Kelly (2-86), LHP Tim Cooney (3-117), SS Alex Mejia (4-150), RHP Kyle Barraclough (7-240), RHP Rowan Wick (9-300), 2B Jacob Wilson (10-330)
Tampa Bay Rays: RHP Dylan Floro27 of 31
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Drafted: 13th round, No. 422 overall
The Tampa Bay Rays have done a nice job over the years finding late-round draft steals, and right-hander Dylan Floro fits the bill as a 13th-round selection, though he didn’t have success until after moving on from the Rays organization.
The 33-year-old is playing with his seventh team in nine seasons after signing a one-year, $2.25 million deal with the Washington Nationals during the offseason, and he has been lights out this year with a 1.08 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 33 games.
Over nine MLB seasons, he has a 3.21 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 32 saves and 51 holds in 323 games, which is the fifth-highest number of appearances among pitchers from the 2012 draft class.
Other Notable Picks: 3B Richie Shaffer (1-25), OF Andrew Toles (3-119), C Luke Maile (8-272), OF Joey Rickard (9-302), RHP Ryan Garton (34-1,052)
Texas Rangers: OF Joey Gallo28 of 31
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Drafted: 1st round, No. 39 overall
Given his struggles the past few seasons, it’s easy to forget just how impactful Joey Gallo was at his peak with the Texas Rangers.
2017: 145 G, 118 OPS+, 41 HR, 80 RBI, 2.9 WAR2018: 148 G, 109 OPS+, 40 HR, 92 RBI, 2.4 WAR2019: 70 G, 145 OPS+, 22 HR, 49 RBI, 3.1 WARIt’s also worth mentioning that the deal that sent him to the New York Yankees at the 2021 trade deadline brought back current breakout third baseman Josh Smith and productive utility man Ezequiel DurĂĄn.
Other Notable Picks: OF Lewis Brinson (1-29), RHP Collin Wiles (1-53), OF Nick Williams (2-93), RHP Alec Asher (4-156), RHP Keone Kela (12-396)
Toronto Blue Jays: RHP Marcus Stroman29 of 31
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Drafted: 1st round, No. 22 overall
With an undersized 5’7″ frame, there were some who believed Marcus Stroman was destined for the bullpen coming out of Duke University, and that he could potentially be put on the fast track to the big leagues in a relief role.
“He can hold his velocity deep into games, but most scouts say he could be the first 2012 draftee to reach the big leagues if he goes to the bullpen. He worked as the closer for Team USA last summer and was 93-96 mph consistently, pitching 8 1/3 innings without giving up a hit while striking out 17 and walking one,” reads his predraft scouting report from Baseball America.
Those concerns were emphatically erased with back-to-back 200-inning seasons in 2016 and 2017, and the sinkerballer has been a reliable workhorse throughout his career, going 83-78 with a 3.60 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 1,383 innings.
Other Notable Picks: RHP Chase De Jong (2-81), OF Anthony Alford (3-112), OF Ian Parmley (7-235), LHP Ryan Borucki (15-475)
Washington Nationals: RHP Lucas Giolito30 of 31
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Drafted: 1st round, No. 16 overall
Lucas Giolito was a candidate to go No. 1 overall in the 2012 draft and widely regarded as the top high school arm in the country before he suffered a sprained UCL in March of his senior season and entered the draft as a major question mark.
He ended up slipping to the Washington Nationals at No. 16 overall, with his high school teammate Max Fried the first prep pitcher taken instead with the No. 7 pick by the San Diego Padres.
He underwent Tommy John surgery before making his pro debut and dealt with some ups and downs during his time in the Nationals system before he was traded to the Chicago White Sox as part of a package to acquire outfielder Adam Eaton.
He is currently recovering from having an internal brace repair to the same UCL that he injured in high school, but he has a 4.43 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 1,077 strikeouts in 1,013.2 career innings.
Other Notable Picks: 2B Tony Renda (2-80), C Spencer Kieboom (5-174)
2012 1st Round Redraft31 of 31
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2012 MLB Redraft
1. HOU: SS Carlos Correa
2. MIN: SS Corey Seager
3. SEA: 1B Matt Olson
4. BAL: LHP Max Fried
5. KC: RHP Kevin Gausman
6. CHC: LHP Josh Hader
7. SD: RHP JosĂ© BerrĂos
8. PIT: RHP Marcus Stroman
9. MIA: OF Byron Buxton
10. COL: 1B Max Muncy
11. OAK: RHP Lucas Giolito
12. NYM: RHP Edwin DĂaz
13. CWS: 1B Christian Walker
14. CIN: RHP Zach Eflin
15. CLE: RHP Michael Wacha
16. WAS: RHP Lance McCullers Jr.
17. TOR: LHP Matt Strahm
18. LAD: IF/OF Chris Taylor
19. STL: LHP Alex Wood
20. SF: RHP Paul Sewald
21. ATL: LHP Andrew Heaney
22. TOR: 1B/OF Joey Gallo
23. STL: OF Mitch Haniger
24. BOS: LHP Taylor Rogers
25. TB: OF Jesse Winker
26. ARI: C Mike Zunino
27. MIL: LHP Brent Suter
28. MIL: RHP Dylan Floro
29. TEX: IF Joey Wendle
30. NYY: RHP Paul Blackburn
31. BOS: 3B Jake Lamb
