The 2012 MLB Draft is loaded with top-tier talent when it comes to pitching, but few of the top prospects play in the field.
One of the lone exceptions is Mike Zunino, a junior catcher from the University of Florida who has the potential to become the next Joe Mauer.
The slugger is hitting .324, with 15 home runs and 51 RBI in 2012, while playing outstanding defense behind the plate. At 6'2" and 215 pounds, he has the ideal size for the position and has improved every year in college.
Zunino's Gators are currently 40-16 and on pace to compete for the College World Series in Omaha. He is a natural leader who has an outstanding command of the Gators pitching staff.
Zunino has outstanding bat speed with loft, a sign he'll be a power hitter at some point down the line. While he needs to improve on his off-speed hitting, Zunino is the most polished player in the draft with the bat.
How did he get this advantage?
His dad, Greg Zunino, played two years in the New York Yankees system and has been a scout for the last 25 years; he's currently with the Cincinnati Reds. His dad has taught him everything he knows, and when the younger Zunino talks about his upbringing, you get the sense Greg was rather tough on him (via MLB.com):
When you're young, you always feel like you know a lot more than you do. He would just be trying to help me, and out of frustration, I just didn't want to listen. But now, I've learned so much that he's the first person I go to, just to talk to about the game in general and to learn as much as I can.
I'm grateful for that, and it's helped out tremendously.
Zunino is going to be a fundamentally sound player who doesn't need much time to develop in the minors before making the leap to the big leagues. He will have the mental toughness to get through slumps and the work ethic to keep getting better.
I'm a huge fan of players who grew up surrounded by baseball, and it's going to bode very well for Zunino in his pro career. Typically, this is the type of player who excels—just ask Prince Fielder and Ken Griffey Jr.
There is never a sure thing in the MLB draft, but when you factor in all of Zunino's physical tools and his background, he is the safest pick in the entire first round.
Not since Mauer has there been such a terrific catching prospect in the draft. Expect Mike Zunino to be off the board by pick No. 5.
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