The Arizona Diamondbacks will have the 26th overall pick at the 2012 MLB Draft, and the club is expected to go with a hitter in the first round. While they will be picking a little later than they're accustomed to (hey, that's what comes with winning a division title) this looks to be a pretty deep draft for talent with the bat.
The latest mock draft from Baseball America was recently released and they had the D-backs taking high school catcher Stryker Trahan. He is the 10th best high school player in the country according to ESPN and is currently signed with Ole Miss on a baseball scholarship. Should he be selected high enough though, most feel he will forgo college and head straight to the pros.
Here is a scouting report on Trahan from ESPN:
Trahan possesses good arm strength, quick feet and a consistent swing that produces above average power from the left side of the plate. He's strong and sturdy, suggesting he can physically handle catching long term, but he also runs well, posting times from home to first in the low-four seconds range. He's committed to Ole Miss, but the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder has a chance to be taken off the board among the top 20 picks and is among the better high school catching prospects over the past five years.
It might seem a little odd for the Diamondbacks to go with a catcher now after signing Miguel Montero to a five-year deal, but catchers always take a long time to develop in the Minor Leagues and Trahan projects to potentially be an elite hitter behind the plate. Arizona may choose to address an area of need rather than take the best overall talent available, but there will be few hitters with a higher ceiling than Trahan next month at the draft.
For more on the D-backs, be sure to check out AZ Snake Pit.