Monte Vista Alum Mark Appel Picked Eighth Overall in the 2012 MLB Draft

Though reports pointed to Mark Appel, a 2009 Monte Vista alum and right-handed starting pitcher from Stanford, to likely be the first pick overall in Monday's 2012 Major League Baseball draft, he dropped to eighth and was picked up by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The big right-handed starting pitcher went 10-1 in 15 starts this season for Stanford. He had a 2.27 ERA, striking out 127 in 119 innings.

At Monte Vista, Appel threw mainly out of the bullpen and did the same his freshman year at Stanford. In his senior year at Monte Vista, Appel went 4-0,according to MaxPreps.com. The reason for his relief pitching in high attributed mostly to the talent on the team.

ESPN.com, May 31:

Oregon's Christian Jones and Washington's Steven Swift were the top two starters, and high schools generally don't need more than two.

Thanks to the surrounding talent, Monte Vista's games were well-scouted; and Appel threw hard enough in relief and the occasional start that in 2009, the Detroit Tigers picked him in the 15th round and Stanford invited him to a tryout camp. He dazzled Stanford's coaches with five scoreless innings there and was rewarded with the magic words "We'd like to see if we can get you to Stanford.''

He received several accolades while at Monte Vista including:

• Named one of the top-100 prep players in 2009 by Baseball America, Perfect Game, Rivals, Maxpreps and the Baseball Factory
• Named by the Contra Costa Times as the Prep Athlete of the Year in 2009 for both baseball and basketball

Though Appel didn't go first overall to the Houston Astros, as expected, he had a tie to with this Texas team. Appel lived in Houston, and was an Astros fan, until his family moved to the area when he was 12. Prior to the draft, Appel spoke with ESPN.com about the possibility of returning to Texas:

ESPN.com, May 31 (with Video):

"I've thought a little about that," the right-handed pitcher said. "I try not to think about it too much because I can't control who picks me in the draft; all I can control is how I go out and perform every week. It's just so surreal. So many things have gone right in my life, I know I wouldn't be here right now without God's hand being in my life. Just moving to California so that Stanford became an option for playing baseball. The Astros having their worst year in their history. All these things seem to have gone perfectly for me to work out this way.

"None of that means it would work out that way, but it would be a cherry on top of a dream come true. I've always dreamed of playing pro baseball and playing for the Astros would be pretty unbelievable."

You can follow the 2012 MLB draft live here.