Potential 2013 Twins Draft Pick: Mark Appel

One year ago, Appel sat atop many draft boards. A year later, his status remains similar. After not signing with Pittsburgh, the big righty will re-enter the draft after his senior season at Stanford.

Perfect Game Draft Profile (subscription required)

[Appel] absolutely remains one of the most serious candidates to be the number one overall selection in June.

Game Log:

2/15 vs Rice - 5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, WP, 5:1 FO:GO (Loss, 0-1) (*Ranked 1A on initial draft board)

2/22 vs Fresno State - 9 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 11 K, 7:9 FO:GO, 105/75 (Pitches/strikes) (Win, 1-1) (*Made a great impression on the 60-70 scouts in attendance)

3/1 vs Texas - 9 IP, 3 H, BB, 14 K, 7:7 FO:GO, 110/74. (Win, 2-1) (*Scott Boras laughing all the way to the bank)

3/8 vs UNLV - 7 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, BB, 15 K(!), 2 WP, 2:7 FO:GO (Loss, 2-2) (*Undone by errors, Appel is solidifying his spot on draft boards)

3/22 vs Utah - 8 IP, 6 H, 2 R, ER, BB, 11 K, HBP, 3:12 FO:GO, 107/71 (Win, 3-2)

3/28 vs Washington St - 9 IP, 4 H, BB, 10 K, WP, 3 HBP. 110/79. (Win, 4-2)

4/5 vs USC - 8.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 7 K, 2 WP, 108 pitches. (Win, 5-2)

4/12 vs 8 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, WP, HBP, 115/77. (Win, 6-2)

*This post will be updated throughout the season. Please link game stories or other related Appel-themed posts below.

Game story from 2/15

Appel on not signing with Pittsburgh

On prepping for the 2013 draft: "Everybody said, `If you don't sign, you're pushing your major league career back a year.' I don't see it that way. I don't understand how people can say that I can't keep working and keep getting better at Stanford. It might be a different situation and scenario than a minor league team, but I still have the opportunities to improve my game, get better, to just grow as a baseball player and a teammate and prepare myself for the next level."

Friend of TwinsDaily/Twins Scouting Supervisor Sean Johnson is watching Appel right now. Sixty to seventy scouts there to watch Appel come out throwing 97 mph. Appel went 1-2-3 and ironically, the radio announcer said he was "pitching-to-contact".

He pitched a complete game. 1 run on 3 hits and a walk with 11K's. Only 105 pitches

I listened to it on the radio, really only faced any sort of resistance in one inning. He gave up a long fly ball out to Aaron Judge (who homered off of him twice last year), but worked very, very quick. Cut back a little on his flyball-outs this game (as compared to last).

Twins Terp says it well on this thread.

Appel should definitely be in the discussion if he's on the board at #4, but I'll stand by what I said on the Original Draft Board:

If Appel is available at #4 and there is enough confidence in the draft room that Appel will come at a reasonable enough price as to not cripple the rest of the draft, I say go for it.

I would have an extremely hard time losing him - and the money attached to the pick - for the same reasons that Twins Terp pointed out. Mainly - the team that drafts Appel is going to structure their entire draft differently. You're not just punting that pick; you're punting your whole draft.

Appel's worth it, but you have to get him...

I thought the sanctions are applied to a team "that overpays the combined slot values threshold" in the following year's draft. Thus, if the Twins draft Apple, pay him this whopping amount, and are unable to carve it out from all of the following draft selections of the 2013 draft, then the sanctions apply to the 2014 draft. Those sanctions may include forfeiture of the Twins' 1st Round selection.

That is the biggest penalty. If they exceed the pool up to a certain percentage, they are taxed on the overage. The Pirates were willing to pay up to the dollar that would have lost them their 2013 pick, but not more. Boras wanted more. If the Twins pick goes unsigned, their pool will decrease by $4.5m. The Pirates saved as much money as they could and went to the deadline with Appel. They didn't have any time after that to spend the money they had saved.

I think if the Twins select him they may have to agree to immediately place him on the Active Roster (and leave him there for three years!) in order to reduce the signing bonus to "fit in the slot". While that strategy may be appropriate for Appel, it deviates from "The Twins Way" and opens the door for many other draftees in the future to demand the same concession. Given the Twins refusal to grant Mauer's request for deferred compensation with a guaranteed rate-of-return, I am certain that the Twins would choke on immediate placement on the Active Roster and the resultant "loss of control" over a player (Apppel)--even if it is warranted.

I've suggested similar, but no one is sure how this would work under the new CBA which prohibits Major-league deals. If he signs a lesser-bonus and is called up immediately, someone will cry foul... which would be exactly what Boras wants, because he'd claim Appel should then be a free agent.

Appel dominates Texas. Box.