CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – 2011 Perfect
Game All-American Carlos Correa was selected first overall by the
Houston Astros in the 2012 MLB Draft. Not only did Correa start for
the East squad in the Classic, but he also was the first Puerto Rican
named to the team, and took home the Rawlings Defensive Player of the
Year honors as part of the event's award banquet.
Correa, who doesn't turn 18 until
September, becomes the highest drafted player ever from Puerto Rico,
surpassing 13-year MLB veteran Ramon Castro, who was taken 17th overall in 1994 by the Astros.
Last week Correa had spent a week
stateside making stops with each of the teams that owned a pick among
the top seven overall selections. Word quickly spread that he
impressed at each and every stop, particularly in front of the
Houston Astros scouting and player development executives.
Correa has shown steady improvement,
particularly at the plate, over the last year. He was named to the
2011 Perfect Game All-American Classic at this time last year, and
also shined at the 2011 WWBA World Championship last October in
Jupiter, Fla. Two months later he participated in the 2012 World
Showcase in Fort Myers, Fla. and showed an incredible approach and
swing, with the ability to quickly make adjustments while hitting
high level pitching with authority. He also broke his own record at that event, throwing an astounding 97 mph from across the infield after throwing 94 the year before.
Leading up to the draft, many in the
industry believed that the Astros would select Stanford ace Mark
Appel. While the pick may have been somewhat of a surprise, Correa
certainly has shown the talent befitting of the No. 1 pick.
In doing so, Correa became the sixth PG
All-American to be selected first overall since the event began in
2003. He joins Matt Bush (2004), Justin Upton (2005), Tim Beckham
(2008), Bryce Harper (2010) and Gerrit Cole (2011).
Overall, 19 former Perfect Game All-Americans were selected in the first and supplemental first rounds of the 2012 draft, breaking the record set last year in which 18 former PG All-Americans were taken in the same range. Notable picks that participated in the 2011 Classic include the Reebok Offensive Player of the Year and game MVP Joey Gallo (39th overall, Texas Rangers), the Baseball America Pitcher of the Year Lucas Giolito (16th overall, Washington Nationals) and the Jackie Robinson Player of the Year Lance McCullers (41st overall, Houston Astros). Giolito started the 2011 contest for the West squad, with McCullers doing so for the East.
From all 40 rounds of the draft, 49 total former PG All-Americans were selected, 40 of those participated in last year's Classic. All of the former PG All-Americans that were drafted in the 2012 First Year Player Draft are listed below.
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