PADRES: Right-handed power hitter tops club's draft wish list

By JOHN MAFFEI - Staff Writer | Wednesday, June 4, 2008 5:18 PM PDT ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- This isn't the NFL, where teams draft for need.

In baseball, said Grady Fuson, the Padres' director of scouting and player development, "You never want to draft for need."

So the Padres, who covet a right-handed hitting corner outfielder or infielder, according to Fuson, probably won't make that pick with their first selection in Thursday's amateur draft.

The Padres have six of the top 111 picks in the draft, which begins about 11 a.m. The Padres' first pick isn't until No. 23. After that, it's 42, 46, 69, 101 and 111.

"We always have some idea which way we'll go and who will be available to us with that first pick," Fuson said. "And we're definitely looking at a college position player over pitching.

"In a perfect world, we'd like got get a right-handed power hitter who fits our ballpark."

Preferably, that person would be a corner outfielder, but Fuson said he wouldn't shy away from a corner infielder.

The only player on the board that somewhat fits the Padres' needs is South Carolina switch-hitting first baseman Justin Smoak.

The rest of the corner prospects ---- Miami's Yonder Alonso, Arizona State's Brett Wallace, Wichita State's Conor Gillaspie, Arizona State's Ike Davis, California's David Cooper and Miami's Dennis Raben ---- all swing from the left side.

And all but Cooper, who hit .359 with 19 home runs and 55 RBIs, figure to be long gone before the Padres pick.

Baseball America in its mock draft has the Padres taking Davis, who hit .394 with 16 homers and 73 RBIs.

The Padres are also known to have heavily scouted Wake Forest first baseman Allan Dykstra.

But the former Rancho Bernardo High star, who hit .323 with 16 homers and 50 RBIs this season, also hits left-handed. With 62 walks, however, he's the type of selective hitter the Padres covet.

"We have an idea how this will play out," Fuson said. "We have about 10 guys at the top of our list.

"Some of those guys eliminated themselves, and some won't be available when we pick.

"So if we have to go away from the plan a little bit, we will."

Padres general manager Kevin Towers hinted the Padres have two high school pitchers at the top of their list ---- most likely either Aaron Hicks of Long Beach Wilson, Ethan Martin of County High in Georgia and Casey Kelly from Sarasota High in Florida.

But high school pitchers have the lowest success rate of any position, and the Padres can't afford to miss with this pick.

Fuson said he'd like to add catching depth to the organization.

Buster Posey of Florida State and Kyle Skipworth from Patriot High in Riverside figure to be long gone before the Padres select, but Jason Castro of Stanford could be there.

Castro, a left-handed hitter, batted .372 with 12 homers and 63 RBIs this season.

"I don't know if we'd use our first pick on a catcher," Fuson said. "But I'd certainly like to get a college guy or two later to help our organizational depth."

Every organization, Fuson said, places a premium on middle infielders.

The best shortstop in the Padres organization is Drew Cumberland, a supplemental first-round pick last year out of Pace High in Florida. Cumberland is hitting .247 at Low-A Fort Wayne as a 19-year-old.

After that, the organization's shortstops include fringe prospects such as Jesus Lopez (Lake Elsinore), Sean Kazmar (San Antonio). Lopez is hitting .220 and Kazmar .196.

The best shortstops in the draft are Tim Beckham from Griffin High in Georgia, Gordon Beckham from Georgia and Zach Collier from Chino Hills High.

Both Beckham and Kelly will be gone by the time the Padres pick, but Collier could be there.

Since there is so much of it in this draft, Fuson said pitching could take a back seat in the early rounds.

"You can never compete without a great pitching staff, but there are only three or four real top-end talented guys," Fuson said.

That list includes University of San Diego left-hander Brian Matusz, Missouri right-hander Aaron Crow, Fresno State right-hander Tanner Scheppers and Tulane right-hander Shooter Hunt.

"There is pitching in all shapes and sizes out there," Fuson said. "There are a lot of good arms and a lot of guys with great velocity. But unless something drastic happens above us, I don't think we'd take a pitcher with the first pick.

"A lot depends on what happens ahead of us. Sometimes you have to throw your list away and just take a good player."

Contact staff writer John Maffei at (760) 740-3547 or jmaffei@nctimes.com.

   

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