MLB Draft 2012: A Rangers Q&A With John Sickels

The editor of Minorleagueball.com stops by for a brief discussion about the Texas Rangers latest draft haul.

Rangers Sign First 5 Draft Picks

The Texas Rangers seemed to place a focus on pitching and outfielders during the 2012 MLB Draft. The team is likely pleased with how they performed in the draft, as they have wasted no time in locking up several of their selections.

Joey Matschulat of Baseball Time in Arlington reports that the Rangers have already signed their first five draft picks from this year's draft to contracts. These five players are outfielder Lewis Brinson, third baseman Joey Gallo, right-handed pitcher Colin Wiles, outfielder Jamie Jarmon and outfielder Nick Williams.

While no contract information is yet available for Brinson, Gallo and Wiles, Jim Callis reports that Jarmon signed for $601,500 and Williams inked a contract for $500,000, which is about $15,000 below Williams' pick value.

Read more about the Texas Rangers at Lone Star Ball and head over to Baseball Nation for additional news, notes and analysis around Major League Baseball. Check out Minor League Ball for more on some of the prospects and to see how they develop in their quest to the major leagues.

MLB Draft 2012: Lewis Brinson Profile

The Rangers first-round pick is an athletic, toolsy high-school outfielder who has the chance to develop into a player down the road.

2012 MLB Draft: Texas Rangers Happy With Draft Class

Now that the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft is in the books, it's time for fans and team officials to reflect on each team's draft class. ESPN's draft expert and former Toronto Blue Jays employee Keith Law believes that the Rangers have a lot of raw talent in their 2012 draft class.

Kip Fagg, Texas' director of amateur scouting, is quite pleased with the "raw" talent that the Rangers accumulated.

"We're very happy with the group," said Kip Fagg, the Rangers' director of amateur scouting. "Every year you're happy and optimistic how it's going to turn out. The guys we got at the top were guys we did a lot of work on. They're guys we like as players and people with big, high ceilings and upside.

"The draft went the way we thought, and we were able to get a lot of the guys we earmarked in different rounds."

Day 3 saw the Rangers take a healthy dose of pitchers, selecting 18 with their 25 picks Wednesday.

No reason not to trust Fagg's word, as the Rangers have had quite a good track record drafting and developing players in recent years.

We'll see in the coming weeks how many players decide to sign with the Rangers. The new signing deadline is July 13, so signings should happen much quicker than they have in years past.

For more on the Rangers, be sure to head over to Lone Star Ball and join the discussion.

2012 MLB Draft Analysis: Texas Rangers Take Several Raw Prospects, Per ESPN's Keith Law

The Texas Rangers have established a tremendous core of players at the Major League level and look set to make the playoffs for not only 2012 but for the next several years to come. But future dominance will depend on an solid influx of players through the draft, and the Rangers hope that Lewis Brinson and the rest of his class from the 2012 MLB Draft will find their way to the majors soon enough.

Keith Law recently released a quick analysis of each team’s first several players taken this year, and he seems to think the Rangers have a lot of raw potential from their early choices. The Rangers are certainly the kind of team who can take such chances and hope they pay off. He writes:

Lewis Brinson (1) was one of the most tooled-up athletes in the draft, and did show progress with his ability to hit this spring, although it’s the power/speed combo that got him in the first round. Joey Gallo (1A) has 80 raw power and an 80 arm off the mound and at third base, with a lot of swing and miss that he will have to work to lessen so that huge power can come into play. Collin Wiles (1A), a Vanderbilt commit, is a command right-hander who was 87-90 most of the year but spiked to 90-93 right before the draft. Jamie Jarmon (2) is so raw he makes Brinson look well-done, but has similar upside as a highly athletic kid with limited baseball experience.

Nick Williams (3) has regressed badly since his junior year of high school; he has some tools, but his pull-everything-and-hope-for-the-best approach exposed how limited his hit tool is right now. They went conservative/college after that, but did take Sam Stafford (14), a potential lefty reliever who the Yankees took last year but didn’t sign due to concerns about his medicals, and Jameis Winston (16), who is committed to Florida State to play quarterback.

Be sure to head over to Lone Star Ball to discuss Texas' draft class with fellow Rangers fans.

2012 MLB Draft Results: Texas Rangers Draft Picks

Major League Baseball's 2012 First-Year Player Draft is now in the books, and we'll now play the waiting game between draftees (and their agents) and MLB clubs, as they look to hammer out deals. The Texas Rangers were well stocked in this year's draft, with five picks in the top 100.

Here's who Jon Daniels and the Texas Rangers selected in the 2012 MLB Draft:

• No. 29 overall: Lewis Brinson, OF, Coral Springs HS, FL
• No. 39 overall: Joey Gallo, 3B/RHP, Bishop Gorman HS, NV
• No. 53 overall: Collin Wiles, RHP, Blue Valley West HS, KS
• No. 83 overall: Jamie Jarmon, OF, Indian River HS, DE
• No. 93 overall: Nick Williams, OF, Ball HS, TX
• No. 123 overall: Pat Cantwell, C, Stony Brook, NY
• No. 156 overall: Alec Asher, RHP, Polk County CC, FL
• No. 186 overall: Preston Beck, OF, Texas-Arlington, TX
• No. 216 overall: Royce Bollinger, OF, Gonzaga, WA
• No. 246 overall: Cam Schiller, 2B, Oral Roberts, OK
• No. 276 overall: Cody Kendall, RHP, Fresno State, CA
• No. 306 overall: John Niggli, RHP, Liberty, VA
• No. 336 overall: Casey Shiver, RHP, Southern Polytechnic State, GA
• No. 366 overall: Eric Brooks, RHP, McLennan CC, TX
• No. 396 overall: Keone Kela, RHP, Everett CC, WA
• No. 426 overall: Sam Stafford, LHP, Texas
• No. 456 overall: Kwinton Smith, OF, Dillon HS, SC
• No. 486 overall: Jameis Winston, OF, Hueytown HS, AL
• No. 516 overall: Janluis Castro, 2B, Colegio Hector Urdaneta, Puerto Rico
• No. 546 overall: Charles Moorman, C, El Captain HS, CA
• No. 576 overall: Ryan Harvey, RHP, Seton Hall, NJ
• No. 606 overall: Tyler Smith, RHP, South Carolina-Sumter JC, SC
• No. 636 overall: Josh McElwee, RHP, Newberry, SC
• No. 666 (yikes!) overall: Jacob Lemoine, RHP, Bridge City HS, TX
• No. 696 overall: Travis Dean, RHP, Kennesaw State, GA
• No. 726 overall: Coby Cowgill, RHP, Virginia Military Institute, VA
• No. 756 overall: Chase Mullins, LHP, Bourbon County HS, KY
• No. 786 overall: Gabriel Roa, SS, Wabash Valley CC, IL
• No. 816 overall: Austen Thrailkill, LHP, St. Petersberg CC, FL
• No. 846 overall: Ryan Bores, RHP, Kent State, OH
• No. 876 overall: Joseph Burns, LHP, Samford, AL
• No. 906 overall: Brandon Kuter, RHP, George Mason, VA
• No. 936 overall: Barrett Serrato, OF, Purdue, IN
• No. 966 overall: Zachary Brill, LHP, Mark Morris HS, WA
• No. 996 overall: Alex Young, LHP, Carmel Catholic HS, IL
• No. 1,026 overall: Ryan Burr, RHP, Highlands Ranch HS, CO
• No. 1,056 overall: David Lyon, C, Kent State, OH
• No. 1,086 overall: Brad Stone, LHP, Ardrey Kell HS, NC
• No. 1,116 overall: Sterling Wynn, LHP, China Spring HS, TX
• No. 1,146 overall: Matt Withrow, RHP, Midland Christian HS, TX
• No. 1,176 overall: Zackary Fields, 1B, Annapolis HS, MI
• No. 1,206 overall: Telvin Johnson, OF, Henry County HS, GA
• No. 1,236 overall: Paul Schwendel, RHP, Emory, GA

2012 MLB Draft Results: Texas Rangers Day 3 Picks

The 2012 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft is in its home stretch, and so far, the Texas Rangers have made 14 picks on the third day of the draft.

The theme of Texas' draft on Wednesday appears to be pitching. Here's a look at who the Rangers have drafted so far on Wednesday:

• Janluis Castro, 2B, Colegio Hector Urdaneta, Puerto Rico
• Charles Moorman, C, El Captain High School, Lakeside, CA
• Ryan Harvey, RHP, Seton Hall, NJ
• Tyler Smith, RHP, South Carolina-Sumter JC, SC
• Josh McElwee, RHP, Newberry College, SC
  
• Jacob Lemoine, RHP, Bridge City High School, TX
• Travis Dean, RHP, Kennesaw State, GA
• Coby Cowgill, RHP, Virginia Military Institute
• Chase Mullins, LHP, Bourbon County HS, Paris, KY
• Gabriel Roa, SS, Wabash Valley Community College, IL
• Austen Thrailkill, LHP, St. Petersberg Community College, FL
• Ryan Bores, RHP, Kent State, OH
• Brandon Kuter, RHP, George Mason, VA
  
• Zachary Brill, LHP, Mark Morris HS, WA

MLB Draft Results: Rangers Take Four Right-Handed Pitchers In Late Rounds

The Texas Rangers continued to address their bullpen on Day 2 of the 2012 MLB Draft, selecting four consecutive right handed pitchers in the later rounds.

With the 246th overall pick, Texas selected Oral Roberts second baseman Cameron Schiller, then selected four consecutive pitchers - Fresno State's Kendall Cody (276th overall), Liberty University's John Niggli (306th), Souther Polytechnic State's Joseph Shiver (336th) and McClean Community College's Eric Brooks (366th).

The Rangers have now drafted a total of six pitchers through 14 picks, the highest being 6-foot-4, 187 lb. high school prospect Colin Wiles from Kansas.

You can click here to watch live streaming coverage of Day 2 of the 2012 MLB Draft at MLB.com.

Read more about the Texas Rangers at Lone Star Ball and head over to Baseball Nationfor additional news, notes and analysis around Major League Baseball. Check out Minor League Ball to see how some of these prospects develop in their quest to the major leagues.

MLB Draft Results: Rangers Select OF Royce Bolinger From Gonzaga In Sixth Round

The sixth round is nearing its end on Tuesday during a simply jam-packed Day 2 of the 2012 MLB Draft on Tuesday. Two-time defending American League champions the Texas Rangers have their latest selection in the books.

The Rangers used their No. 216 overall pick in the draft to select their fourth straight outfielder. Royce Bolinger is a center fielder from Gonzaga in Washington. The senior bats right and throws right. Bolinger started 48 of 51 games in 2011, mostly as a center fielder. He is said to have a strong arm but will need a lot more experience to see how he projects at the major league level.

You can click here to watch live streaming coverage of Day 2 of the 2012 MLB Draft at MLB.com.

Read more about the Texas Rangers at Lone Star Ball and head over to Baseball Nation for additional news, notes and analysis around Major League Baseball. Check out Minor League Ball to see how some of these prospects develop in their quest to the major leagues.

MLB Draft Results: Rangers Select OF Preston Beck In Fifth Round

On Tuesday, the fifth round of the 2012 MLB Draft is drawing to a close. The Texas Rangers have made their fifth-round pick and picked up yet another outfielder. With the No. 186 overall pick, the Rangers picked up Preston Beck from UT-Arlington.

Beck is a local boy who will hope to find a place in the future with his hometown team. MLB.com analysts were surprised that he was still on the board this late into the fifth round, as he possesses a great arm, good speed on the basepaths and a solid bat.

You can click here to watch live streaming coverage of Day 2 of the 2012 MLB Draft at MLB.com.

Read more about the Texas Rangers at Lone Star Ball and head over to Baseball Nation for additional news, notes and analysis around Major League Baseball. Check out Minor League Ball to see how some of these prospects develop in their quest to the major leagues.

MLB Draft Results: Rangers Select RHP Alec Asher

On Tuesday, the Texas Rangers front office is joining in with all other teams in a frantic and busy day of business in the second day of the 2012 MLB Draft. The Rangers have made their fourth-round pick

With the No. 156 overall pick, the Rangers selected right-handed pitcher Alec Asher from Polk State College in Florida.

Asher may be a risky pick, as he had Tommy John surgery at the young age of 14 years old and has also had bone chip issues. When healthy, he has been terribly impressive. The Rangers are hoping the JuCo star will be able to stick at the major league level.

You can click here to watch live streaming coverage of Day 2 of the 2012 MLB Draft at MLB.com.

Read more about the Texas Rangers at Lone Star Ball and head over to Baseball Nation for additional news, notes and analysis around Major League Baseball. Check out Minor League Ball to see how some of these prospects develop in their quest to the major leagues.

MLB Draft 2012: Rangers Select C Patrick Cantwell In Third Round

The 2012 MLB Draft rolls right along on Tuesday. The first three rounds are in the books as the selections are flying with barely a pause in between.The Texas Rangers have made their third-round selection, electing to pick up yet another position player.

With their third-round pick and the No. 123 overall selection, the Rangers chose Patrick Cantwell. Cantwell is a 6'2, 205 pound catcher out of SUNY Stony Brook, New York. The senior catcher bats right and throws right. This prospect may very well turn into one of the everyday backstops for the Rangers in a few years.

You can click here to watch live streaming coverage of Day 2 of the 2012 MLB Draft at MLB.com.

Read more about the Texas Rangers at Lone Star Ball and head over to Baseball Nation for additional news, notes and analysis around Major League Baseball. Check out Minor League Ball to see how some of these prospects develop in their quest to the major leagues.

MLB Draft 2012: Rangers Select Texas CF Nick Williams

The second round of the 2012 MLB Draft is proving just as interesting as expected on Tuesday, as the Texas Rangers continue to stockpile position-player prospects for the future. The Rangers used their two second-round picks to pick up a pair of high school center fielders.

After selecting Jamie Jarmon as the No. 83 overall pick, the Rangers were right back at it for the No. 93 pick. The Rangers selected Nick Williams, a 6'3 left-handed player from Galveston Ball High School in Texas.

Williams is considered to be a high-risk, high-reward player, so his selection at this spot in the order, with the Rangers holding two second-round picks, seems like a pretty good choice. He is a speedy center fielder who has drawn some slight comparisons to a less-refined Ken Griffey Jr.

Read more about the Texas Rangers at Lone Star Ball and head over to Baseball Nation for additional news, notes and analysis around Major League Baseball. Check out Minor League Ball to see how some of these prospects develop in their quest to the major leagues.

MLB Draft 2012: Rangers Select CF Jamie Jarmon From Delaware In Second Round

The second round of the 2012 MLB Draft is underway on Tuesday. The Texas Rangers used their No. 83 overall pick to select center fielder Jamie Jarmon. Jarmon is a 6'1, 193-pound right-handed player out of Indian River High School in Delaware.

Jarmon won the Delaware Player of the Year award for his work on the football field but projects as a future major league baseball player. He's a speedy outfielder with a terrific arm and a fast bat. He will need plenty of work to be ready for the majors, which is likely why the Rangers are hoping they will be able to sign him out of high school.

Read more about the Texas Rangers at Lone Star Ball and head over to Baseball Nation for additional news, notes and analysis around Major League Baseball. Check out Minor League Ball to see how some of these prospects develop in their quest to the major leagues.

MLB Draft 2012, Day 2 Draft Order: Texas Rangers On The Clock

The Texas Rangers picked up three high school prospects in Day 1 of the 2012 MLB Draft and begin Day 2 action on Tuesday with the No. 83, 93 and 123 selections, courtesy of their C.J. Wilson compensation pick.

Here is a look at the complete draft order.

Texas selected outfielder Lewis Brinson out of Coral Springs High School (Fla.) with the No. 29 overall pick on Monday. Then the Rangers grabbed high school third baseman Joey Gallo as the first pick of the compensatory round and the No. 39 overall selection. Texas spent the No. 53 pick on another high school prospect, right-handed pitcher Colin Wiles.

Read more about the Texas Rangers at Lone Star Ball and head over to Baseball Nation for additional news, notes and analysis around Major League Baseball. Check out Minor League Ball to see how some of these prospects develop in their quest to the major leagues.

2012 MLB Draft: Rangers Select High School RHP Colin Wiles With No. 53 Pick

The Rangers selected Kansas high school right-handed pitcher Colin Wiles with the No. 53 overall pick. The selection seems to have come out of nowhere, as there aren't many profiles on him. Baseball America had him ranked at No. 268.

He was recently named Kansas high school baseball Player of the Year by ESPN. This season, Wiles posted an 8-0 record with a 0.10 ERA. He recorded 76 strikeouts in 49.1 innings. He has committed to SEC power Vanderbilt.

Since there isn't much info on Wiles, let's look at the above ESPN story. Not surprisingly, his coach had some good thing to say about Wiles regarding the POY honor. He also assisted Haitian earthquake victims with his church community, if you're looking for that kind of info.

"Collin Wiles is a very talented pitcher," said Lorne Parks, head coach at St. Thomas Aquinas (Olathe, Kan.). "He is very aggressive and he mixes up his pitches well to keep hitters off balance. He always has great mound presence and carries himself in a positive manner."

In this case, I think the numbers speak for themselves.

2012 MLB Draft: Rangers Pick High School 3B Joey Gallo With No. 39 Pick

In the first compensatory round of the 2012 MLB Draft, the Rangers selected Las Vegas high school slugger Joey Gallo with the No. 39 overall pick.

Gallo has a lot of power, but also a lot of strikeouts. MLB.com had the infielder as the No. 33 player in their projections. Here's what MLB.com had to say about Gallo.

Gallo is an aggressive hitter with plus raw power. When he gets squared up, he can hit the ball out anywhere. He does have a big swing and there is some concern about him making consistent contact. He's played some third and first, with most feeling he'll end up at the latter. As a pitcher, he has more than enough arm strength for the position and should be fine defensively all-around. He is a below-average runner.

In the end, though, it's the power that intrigues scouts. A team that thinks he'll hit enough to tap into it will be tempted to take him early.

As with first-round pick Lewis Brinson, the Rangers selected a player that has some question marks, but an incredible upside.

And the Rangers should be awfully happy at this point to get that kind of upside at 29 and 39. Wow.

— Kevin Goldstein (@Kevin_Goldstein) June 5, 2012

Read more about the Texas Rangers at Lone Star Ball and head over to Baseball Nationfor more around Major League Baseball.

2012 MLB Draft: Rangers Select High School OF Lewis Brinson With No. 29 Pick

The Texas Rangers surprised some when they selected outfielder Lewis Brinson out of Coral Springs High School (Fla.) with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft.

Brinson has a remarkable upside, but his bat has been inconsistent. ESPN projected Brinson as the No. 52 player on their board. Here's what ESPN had to say about Brinson.

Brinson has as high an upside as any player not named Byron Buxton in this draft with an ultra-projectable frame and plus tools galore. The problem is that fifth tool, his bat, and it's been so hit and miss that many teams won't consider him in the top two rounds.

…

His upside is undeniable, he has great makeup and some fixable flaws; a tools-oriented club is expected to pop the Florida commit in the top 50 picks.

MLB.com had Brinson as the No. 39 prospect. Here's what MLB.com had to say about him.

Tall, lanky and athletic, he reminds some of Dexter Fowler or Cameron Maybin. Brinson has good bat speed and can spray line drives gap-to-gap. There's leverage in his swing with good raw power, which could develop into above-average pop in the future. He's an easily above-average runner, which should play well on both sides of the ball. He makes the plays in the outfield and has a strong arm.

More than anything, Brinson is still raw. But as he showed over the summer, the more he plays against good competition, the better he gets. That bodes well for his future and there are sure to be many teams interested in his very full toolbox.

Read more about the Texas Rangers at Lone Star Ball and head over to Baseball Nationfor more around Major League Baseball.

2012 MLB Mock Draft: Texas Rangers Go With Matt Smoral

In Baseball America's latest 2012 MLB Mock Draft, released Monday, the day of the amateur draft, the Texas Rangers are linked to Matt Smoral, who missed most of his senior season with a foot injury.

It hasn't done much to his first-round status, rather just kept him out of the top half of the round, at least in the mocks. This ESPN.com report from May indicates situations where scouts were unable to check the progress of his breaking ball and especially the changeup, and the left-hander has lost development time on top of it all.

This is what BA had to say about the Rangers' mock selection:

Bet on a high-upside play here. It could be one of the higher-priced prepsters such as McCullers, Russell or Seager. Texas has been mentioned as much as anyone on Ohio high school lefthander Matt Smoral, a likely mid-first-rounder before he broke a bone in his foot and missed most of the year. Maybe the Rangers could make a run at Giolito. They also like Hensley and Davis, who probably can't get this far. Berrios and Brinson are possibilities, too.

Read more about the Texas Rangers at Lone Star Ball and head over to Baseball Nation for more around Major League Baseball.

MLB Draft 2012: Preview, TV Info And More

If there's any team in Major League Baseball that could stand to not get all worked up about Monday's draft, it's the Texas Rangers. Even with the struggles they've had recently, the Rangers are still prime of the American league and baseball period, with gold-glove caliber players all over the defense and solid hitters throughout the batting lineup.

Texas picks with the 29th selection in the first round, and rumors and mocks have it that the two-time defending ALCS champions could take a high school pitcher. That's audacious, but something an organization like the Rangers, with Nolan Ryan at the helm, seems to be able to manage if it came down to it.

Here is a look at the TV schedule and the complete draft order of the opening round:

Date/Time: Monday, June 4, 5 p.m. CT

TV: MLB Network

First round order:

1. Houston Astros
2. Minnesota Twins
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. Kansas City Royals
6. Chicago Cubs
7. San Diego Padres
8. Pittsburgh Pirates
9. Miami Marlins
10. Colorado Rockies
11. Oakland Athletics
12. New York Mets
13. Chicago White Sox
14. Cincinnati Reds
15. Cleveland Indians
16. Washington Nationals
17. Toronto Blue Jays
18. Los Angeles Dodgers
19. St. Louis Cardinals
20. San Francisco Giants
21. Atlanta Braves
22. Toronto Blue Jays
23. St. Louis Cardinals
24. Boston Red Sox
25. Tampa Bay Rays
26. Arizona Diamondbacks
27. Milwaukee Brewers
28. Milwaukee Brewers
29. Texas Rangers
30. New York Yankees
31. Boston Red Sox

Read more about the Rangers at Lone Star Ball. Head over to Baseball Nation for additional news around Major League Baseball. Head over to Minor League Ball for insights on MLB prospects.

2012 MLB Mock Draft: Rangers Projected To Take High School Player With No. 29 Pick

The 2012 MLB Draft gets underway on Monday June 4, and with the day fast approaching all of the experts are putting finishing touches on their final mock drafts.

The Rangers have been projected to take a high school player with their No. 29 pick, and the latest mock drafts from Minor League Ball follow that pattern. The website has two mock drafts with one by John Sickels and the other by Matt Garrioch.

Sickels has the Rangers taking high school pitcher J.O. Berrios:

The Rangers do some unconventional things at times. Adding some high-upside pitching seems like a good plan, and J.O. Berrios, RHP, Puerto Rico HS has as much upside as any of the more-heralded high school arms still on the board. Other options would include Watson and injury-hampered arms Matt Smoral and Zach Eflin.

Garrioch sticks with the high school players and projects the Rangers taking a third baseman:

Corey Seager, 3B, North Carolina HS

Another wild card but Seager is a big potential bat that could fit.

For more on the Rangers, be sure to check out Lone Star Ball and join the discussion. For more on the 2012 MLB Draft head over to Minor League Ball.

2012 MLB Mock Draft: Keith Law Has Rangers Taking OF D.J. Davis

The 2012 MLB draft is fast approaching on June 4 and ESPN's Keith Law has put out his third mock draft. The Texas Rangers first round selection comes at No. 29 overall, and in Law's prior mock draft he had the Rangers taking right-handed high school pitcher Duane Underwood.

This time around Law has the Rangers sticking with a high school product, but it is an outfielder this time:

D.J. Davis, OF, Stone County (Miss.) H.S.

I'm hearing mostly prep players here and the willingness to grab any guy who should fall because of bonus demands. Davis is an intriguing athlete who is an 80 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale.

Over at Minor League Ball they have Davis rated as the 21st overall prospect, and they echo the same thing that Davis who has speed plus he has improved his hitting this spring.

For more on the Rangers, be sure to check out Lone Star Ball and join the discussion. For more on the 2012 MLB Draft head over to Minor League Ball.

2012 MLB Mock Draft: Texas Rangers Select Duane Underwood

With the first round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft set to begin on June 4, MLB draftniks have been busy publishing various mock drafts across the internet. The always respected Keith Law posted his latest mock draft over at ESPN Insider, and he has the Rangers selecting high school product Duane Underwood with the No. 29 pick in the draft.

Underwood is a 6'2", 205 right handed pitcher with a big arm. Underwood, per Perfect Game, easily has mid-to-high 90s velocity with his fastball, and has hit 98. Any 18 year old with a power arm that can hit 98 obviously has a lot of projectability, and Underwood is no different.

There's always warts on any draft prospect, and again, Underwood is no different. Underwood has had an up-and-down high school season, leaving some scouts perplexed as to how to value him. His velocity has fluctuated all spring, and Underwood reportedly is easily rattled by base runners.

We'll see if the Rangers wind up taking Underwood next week, or if they head in a different direction.

For more on the Texas Rangers, be sure to check out Lone Star Ball and join the discussion. For more on the MLB First-Year Player Draft, head over to Minor League Ball.

MLB Mock Draft 2012: Rangers Select LHP Matt Smoral

The Texas Rangers hold the No. 29 overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, which is drawing closer as the summer approaches. Most mock drafts and prospect analysts seem to agree that the Rangers will be targeting a pitcher in the first round. The latest mock draft suggests a new name.

Jim Callis at Baseball America has posted the latest version of their mock draft. Their version of the event has the Rangers using their first-round pick to select left-handed pitcher Matt Smoral out of Solon High School in Ohio.

Smoral stands at 6'8 and 225 pounds and was a Rawlings first team All-American in 2012. He has committed to North Carolina, but perhaps the right offer from the Rangers could sway him to enter the system right away.

For all news and information regarding the Texas Rangers, please visit Lone Star Ball. For lots more on the 2012 MLB Draft, stop by Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB Mock Draft: Texas Rangers Take High School Pitcher Zach Eflin Per Keith Law

Keith Law clearly believes the Texas Rangers are going to look at adding a solid young arm to the farm system in the upcoming 2012 MLB Draft. The Rule IV draft is thin on college hitting this year and the best high school bats are often taken early, so it's not a surprise to see solid pitchers like Duane Underwood or Zach Eflin linked to the Rangers. Law has the team taking the latter in his new mock for ESPN.

Law writes, "If Elfin hadn't missed a little time with a strained triceps, there's no way he gets here. At 6-5, 200 pounds, he has a ton of projection and has touched 95 mph this spring. Could see [Duane] Underwood here, too."

However, he also discusses the Rangers and Yankees earlier in the draft around high school outfielder D.J. Davis of Stone County H.S. in Mississippi. Perhaps it's impossible to tell where a talented team like the Rangers will go, who can afford to simply take the best player on their board and not worry about where he will fit over the long-term.

For all news and information regarding the Texas Rangers, please visit Lone Star Ball. For lots more on the 2012 MLB Draft, stop by Baseball Nation.

MLB Mock Draft 2012: Rangers Could Target LHP Hunter Virant In 1st Round

The 2012 MLB Draft is fast approaching. The Texas Rangers may target LHP Hunter Virant in the first round.