After top pick, Twins turn to pitchers in draft

By foxsports
Published

The Minnesota Twins had five of the first 72 picks in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft, including the No. 2 overall pick. After taking an outfielder with their first selection, the Twins drafted pitchers with their next four picks. A look at the Twins' selections over the three days of the draft:

Round 1, pick 2 — OF Byron Buxton (6-2, 190), Appling County (Ga.) H.S.: When the Houston Astros took Carlos Correa with the No. 1 overall pick, the Twins had several options at No. 2. Instead of taking Stanford right-hander Mark Appel, Minnesota chose Buxton, a five-tool high school outfielder. The Twins believe Buxton will become the fastest player in the organization.

Compensation round, pick 32 — RHP Jose Berrios (6-0, 190), Papa Juan XXIII (P.R.) H.S.: Berrios, from Puerto Rico, was ranked as the No. 49 prospect by Baseball America. His fastball can reach 92-96 mph, and he also throws a curveball, slider and changeup.

Compensation round, pick 42 — RHP Luke Bard (6-3, 195), Georgia Tech: Bard, the younger brother of Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard, was a closer for Georgia Tech before suffering a strained lat muscle in his shoulder. The Twins don't see the injury as a long-term issue and envision the right-hander as a starter.

Round 2, pick 63 — LHP Mason Melotakis (6-3, 190), Northwestern (La.) State: Melotakis is a hard-throwing left-hander whose fastball can reach the upper 90s. In 23 appearances for the Demons this year, he was 4-4 with a 3.62 ERA and seven saves. Melotakis struck out 70 batters and walked 18 in 62 innings and was ranked No. 88 overall by Baseball America.

Round 2, pick 72 — RHP J.T. Chargois (6-3, 200), Rice University: Chargois was converted to a pitcher while at Rice, as he played 63 games at first base during his sophomore year in 2011. This season, he pitched in 25 games and was 4-1 with a 2.15 ERA. He struck out 38 and walked 12 in 37 2/3 innings. Offensively, he batted .323 with 31 RBI in 51 games this year.

Round 3, pick 97 — RF Adam Walker (6-4, 225), Jacksonville (Fla.) University: This season at Jacksonville University, Walker batted .343 with 12 home runs and 42 RBI in 56 games. Walker, a Milwaukee native, also drew 29 walks and struck out 47 times. His father, Adam, played briefly in the NFL as a running back with the Minnesota Vikings in 1987.

Round 4, pick 130 — RHP Zach Jones (6-1, 195), San Jose State: In 19 appearances with San Jose State this year, Jones was 3-4 with a 4.50 ERA and seven saves. He struck out 60 batters and walked 17 in 54 innings. He was named the Western Athletic Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

Round 5, pick 160 — RHP Tyler Duffey (6-3, 210), Rice University: Duffey was the second Rice pitcher taken by the Twins in the draft. (J.T. Chargois went in the second round.) In 36 relief appearances in 2012, Duffey was 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA. He had 68 strikeouts and 21 walks in 51 1/3 innings.

Round 6, pick 190 — LHP Andre Martinez (6-0, 185), Archbishop McCarthy H.S. (Ford Lauderdale, Fla.): Martinez helped Archbishop McCarthy High School win its third consecutive state title. He was on the mound for that game, going 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts to earn his 11th victory of the season. He is committed to play at Florida State.

Round 7, pick 220 — C Jorge Fernandez (6-3, 188), Colegio Hector Urdaneta (Puerto Rico): Fernandez is the second Puerto Rico product the Twins took in this year’s draft. They drafted pitcher Jose Berrios in the compensation round. Fernandez is committed to play at Alabama State.

Round 8, pick 250 — RHP Christian Powell (6-4, 220), College of Charleston: Powell was the eighth pitcher taken by the Twins in their first 11 picks. In 17 games at College of Charleston (16 starts) this season, Powell was 9-4 with a 2.69 ERA. He struck out 77 batters and walked 29 in 93 2/3 innings.

Round 9, pick 280 — 2B L.J. Mazzilli (6-0, 190), Connecticut: Mazzilli is the son of former player and manager Lee Mazzilli. This season at UConn, Mazzilli led the Huskies with a .339 batting average and had nine home runs and 38 RBI in 58 games during his junior year. He also stole 16 bases in 21 attempts.
 
Round 10, pick 310 — RHP D.J. Baxendale (6-2, 190), Arkansas: Baxendale was the ninth pitcher taken by the Twins. At the University of Arkansas this season, he was 7-4 with a 2.83 ERA in 17 starts. He struck out 85 batters and walked 22 in 92 1/3 innings.

Round 11, pick 340 — LHP Taylor Rogers (6-3, 175), Kentucky: Rogers was 6-4 with a 4.53 ERA this season with Kentucky, striking out 84 and walking 21 in 89 1/3 innings. He pitched in the Cape Cod Baseball League last summer, going 4-4 with a 1.72 ERA.
 
Round 12, pick 370 — RHP Alexander Muren (6-3, 195), Cal State-Northridge: Muren made 14 starts for Cal State-Northridge as a junior this season, going 5-8 with a 5.30 ERA. He recorded 47 strikeouts and 28 walks in 91 2/3 innings.
 
Round 13, pick 400 — RHP Erich Knab (6-3, 175), Carolina Forest (S.C.) H.S.: Knab was the 12th pitcher taken by the Twins in the draft. His fastball can reach 94 mph, according to PerfectGame.org. He is committed to Spartanburg Methodist College.
 
Round 14, pick 430 — CF Jake Proctor (6-2, 215), Cincinnati: Proctor played in 42 games this season and hit .284 with three homers and 28 RBI. He also stole 14 bases in 19 attempts. He missed Cincinnati’s final 14 games of the season with a leg injury.
 
Round 15, pick 460 — LHP Jarret Leverett (6-3), Georgia Southern: As a reliever for Georgia Southern, Leverett appeared in 30 games (including one start). He posted a 2.81 ERA while striking out 58 batters in 51 1/3 innings. By picking Leverett in the 15th round, the Twins took 13 pitchers in their first 18 picks in the first two days.

Round 16, pick 490 — SS Will Hurt (5-11, 175), Lexington (Ky.) Catholic H.S.: Hurt is from the same high school as current Twins outfielder Ben Revere. He is committed to Coastal Carolina.
 
Round 17, pick 520 — 1B Dalton Hicks (6-5, 228), Central Florida: Hicks batted .316 with 14 homers and 72 RBI this season. He also drew 56 walks but struck out 52 times — both team highs. His .560 slugging percentage was easily tops among all UCF players. He was previously drafted out of high school in the 49th round by the Giants.
 
Round 18, pick 550 — RHP William LaMarche (6-3, 220), Chabot College (Hayward, Calif.): LaMarche signed to play with the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League this summer and has appeared in two games so far —allowing three earned runs with seven strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. He has a scholarship to play at LSU next year.
 
Round 19, pick 580 — LF Jonathan Murphy (6-1, 195), Jacksonville University: Murphy was a college teammate of the Twins' third-round pick, Adam Walker. In 56 games this season, Murphy batted .248 with four homers, 25 RBI and 41 stolen bases in 47 attempts.

Round 20, pick 610 — CF Zach Larson (6-2, 185), Lakewood Ranch (Fla.) H.S.: Larson, who was named to the All-Region First Team in Florida, is committed to State College of Florida.
 
Round 21, pick 640 — C Bo Altobelli (6-1, 200), Texas Tech: Altobelli hit .346 in 52 games this season for Texas Tech, adding three homers, 12 doubles and 33 RBI. He earned All-Big 12 honorable mention as a sophomore last year.
 
Round 22, pick 670 — C Joshua Graham (6-1, 215), Roseburg (Ore.) H.S.: The Twins took back-to-back catchers when they selected Graham in the 22nd round. Graham also pitched at Lakewood Ranch High School, tossing a no-hitter this season, and is committed to the University of Oregon.
 
Round 23, pick 700 — RHP Travis Huber (6-3, 226), Nebraska: Huber pitched in 20 games as a reliever this year, posting a 3.32 ERA in 21 2/3 innings. He struck out 17 batters and walked 10. Huber was previously drafted twice — in the 47th round by Florida in 2010 and again by the Marlins in the 39th round in 2011.



















































Round 24, pick 730 — C Jose Favela (6-2, 210), Franklin (Texas) H.S.: Favela is committed to Howard Junior College. He hit .448 with six home runs this season and did not allow a stolen base.
 
Round 25, pick 760 — 2B Joel Licon (5-10, 180), Orange Coast (Calif.) College: Lincon has signed to play for Liberty University next season. In 44 games, he batted .310 with four homers and 31 RBI.
 
Round 26, pick 790 — LHP Justin Jones (6-2, 175), California: Jones appeared in 16 games this year for the Bears (15 starts) and was 4-9 with a 4.57 ERA. He struck out 50 and walked 31 in 80 2/3 innings. He was a seventh-round pick by the Chicago White Sox in 2009 out of high school.



Round 27, pick 820 — LHP Jerad Grundy (5-11, 180), Kentucky: Grundy is the second Kentucky pitcher taken by the Twins in this draft. They also took left-hander Taylor Rogers in the 11th round. Grundy was 6-3 with a 3.78 ERA in 16 starts this year for the Wildcats. He recorded 63 strikeouts and walked 36 in 85 2/3 innings. Grundy was a 46th-round pick of the Texas Rangers in 2009 and a 42nd-round pick of the Marlins in 2011.

Round 28, pick 850 — RHP Carson Goldsmith (6-3, 200), Northwestern State: Goldsmith is the second pitcher the Twins took out of Northwestern State; they selected Mason Melotakis in the second round. Goldsmith made 15 relief appearances this season, posting a 4.91 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 17 walks in 18 1/3 innings. He was a catcher at North Central Community College prior to playing at Northwestern State.
 
Round 29, pick 880 — LHP Sean Hagan (6-6, 200), St. John's: Hagan made 15 starts for St. John's this year, going 8-2 with a 2.72 ERA with 66 strikeouts and 23 walks in a team-high 102 2/3 innings. Hagan helped St. John's upset North Carolina in the NCAA tournament last weekend.
 
Round 30, pick 910 — C Bryan Santy (6-1, 200), Washington: Santy hit .282 with two homers and 14 RBI in 45 games this year for the Huskies. The senior catcher previously played two seasons at Palomar College before playing at Washington.





Round 31, pick 940 — LF Timothy Robinson (6-1, 225), Ocean View (Calif.) H.S.: Robinson, an outfielder, pitcher and third baseman, is the younger brother of Twins reliever Alex Burnett. He also started on the Ocean View High School football team. Robinson is committed to Southern California for baseball.
 
Round 32, pick 970 — LHP Andrew Ferreira (6-2, 200), Harvard: Ferreira, Harvard's team captain, appeared in 12 games this year as a sophomore, including five starts. He was 2-4 with a 6.26 ERA. He struck out 35 batters and walked 28 in 27 1/3 innings. Ferreira missed all of 2011 with an arm injury. His younger brother, Ethan, was a freshman catcher on the team and was Andrew's batterymate this season.
 
Round 33, pick 1,000 — RHP Kaleb Merck (6-0, 200), TCU: Merck appeared in 22 games (all in relief) this season for TCU, posting a 3.63 ERA. He struck out 24 and walked 10 in 22 1/3 innings. Merck was a 43rd-round pick of the Texas Rangers in the 2011 draft. He and his Horned Frogs teammates advanced to the NCAA Super Regional and will play UCLA starting Friday.
 
Round 34, pick 1,030 — OF Brian Haar (6-3, 190), San Diego: Haar hit .296 with a pair of homers, 17 doubles and 34 RBI this year for the Toreros. He also had a team-high 12 stolen bases during his senior season.





Round 35, pick 1,060 — RHP Jared Wilson (6-4, 210), UC Santa Barbara: Wilson made 23 relief appearances for the Gauchos this season, posting a 4.63 ERA in 35 innings. He struck out 30 and walked 28 during that span. Prior to playing at USCB, Wilson played for Cypress College.
 
Round 36, pick 1,090 — OF Brandon Bayardi (6-2, 210), UNLV: Bayardi led the Rebels in most offensive categories, including with a .361 average and a team-high seven homers and 53 RBI in 55 games. He stole 12 bases in 15 attempts and slugged .551.
 
Round 37, pick 1,120 — RHP James Marvel (6-3, 185), Campolindo (Calif.) H.S.: Marvel's fastball reaches the low 90s, and he also throws a curveball and changeup. He's committed to playing baseball for Duke next year.

Round 38, pick 1150 — C Austin Rei (6-0, 180), Campolindo (Calif.) H.S.: The Twins took high school teammates with back-to-back picks; Rei played with 37th-round selection James Marvel at Campolindo High School in California. Rei is committed to play at the University of Washington next year.
 
Round 39, pick 1180 — OF Alex Liquori (6-1, 200), Whitewater (Ga.) H.S.: Liqouri ran the 60-yard dash in 6.63 seconds, according to PerfectGame.org. He batted .474 with nine homers and 32 RBI for Whitewater and is committed to Kennesaw State next year.
 
Round 40, pick 1210 — RHP Brad Schreiber (6-3, 225), Purdue: Schreiber was the Twins' final pick of the 2012 draft. He missed the entire 2012 season after having Tommy John elbow surgery. In 2011, Schreiber made eight starts, posting a 3.80 ERA with 50 strikeouts and 16 walks in 47 1/3 innings. A Menasha, Wis., native, Schreiber was previously selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 42nd round of the 2009 draft.









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