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Padres Press Clips Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Article Source Author Page

Padres tab high school lefty Fried with top pick MLB.com Brock 2

Padres take 'impact guys' on Day 1 of Draft MLB.com Brock 4

Padres sign Ohlendorf, designate Palmer MLB.com Brock 6

Padres take HS lefty with top pick UT San Diego Center 7

Too soon to know if Padres made correct choice UT San Diego Acee 9

Padres sign veteran pitcher Ohlendorf UT San Diego Center 11

Minors Report: Starting pitching sharp UT San Diego Center 12

Daily Update: Looking at the losses through numbers UT San Diego Center 13

PADRES: Left-hander Fried selected with NC Times Hayes 14

seventh overall pick

PADRES: Padres go heavy on pitching NC Times Maffei 15

PADRES: Team looks for future stars in draft NC Times Maffei 17

Padres Go High School Heavy In Draft NBC San Diego Togerson 20

Draft intrigue Inside the Padres Krasovic 22

Teammates Max Fried and Lucas Giolito are LA Times Sondheimer 25

drafted in first round

Padres go young in MLB draft Examiner Drooz 27

Padres Take Max Fried Baseball America Glassey 28

Lucky 7: Fried taken by Padres; Giolito goes 16th

LA Daily News Boal

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to Nats, UCLA's Gelalich to Cincinnati

Four TinCaps Selected as 2012 MWL All-Stars MiLB.com Couzens 31

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Padres tab high school lefty Fried with top pick

By Corey Brock / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres went big Monday in the First-Year Player Draft -- big as in 6-foot-4 left-

hander Max Fried, a hard-throwing pitcher from Harvard-Westlake High School in Studio City, Calif.

The Padres later added two more high school pitchers -- Zach Eflin with the 33rd overall pick and Walker

Weickel at No. 55 -- in addition to a college outfielder, Travis Jankowski, with the 44th overall selection.

"We wanted upside, impact guys. ... Vanilla wasn't going to be good enough," said Chad MacDonald, the

Padres' assistant general manager of player personnel.. "Every club thinks they had a good day. I know we

did."

Fried was rated the fifth-best player on the Padres' Draft board going into the day, and they were happy to

get him with the seventh overall pick.

"It's loose, athletic, 6-foot-4, a downhill delivery and good arm action," MacDonald said. "It's the way it's

supposed to look. We were tickled to death to get our lefty at seven."

Fried has a fastball that sits in the 90-91 mph range, though he can reach higher at times. He also has a

very good curveball, which is regarded by many as a plus pitch.

Fried previously pitched for Montclair Prep, which is also in California, but when the school ended its

athletics program, Fried then joined forces with pitcher Lucas Giolito, whom he had befriended at Area

Code tryouts the summer prior and was picked by the Washington Nationals nine spots after Fried.

"Being a Southern California boy and being drafted by a Southern California organization, there's no

better place I'd rather be, especially with it being a pitchers' park," Fried said on a conference call

Monday. "I felt at home there, I felt it was somewhere I was able to be myself than other places I wasn't.

"I can't say enough about the Padres' organization. It's an amazing opportunity for me to be selected."

Fried was 8-2 with a 2.02 ERA and 105 strikeouts against 29 walks and 43 hits allowed in 66 innings

during his senior season. The 18-year-old also played in the Perfect Game All-American Classic last year

at Petco Park and was rated as the top left-handed pitcher by Baseball America among all players in the

2012 Draft class. The southpaw has committed to play for UCLA.

"Max goes through spurts when he wants to do everything on his own," Harvard-Westlake coach Matt

LaCour told MLB.com. "He's at his best when he's pitching to contact and getting guys out early in the

count. He's shown when he's at his best, he's going to strike out guys. He just doesn't need to strike out

every guy.

"That's something with extended time on the mound, he'll learn. He will try to overthrow at times, but

mechanically, he's in a good spot. I wouldn't identify that as something people need to be worried about in

the future."

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Fried has pitched twice before at Petco Park, most recently at a pre-Draft workout.

"I love the stadium, the mound, the atmosphere ... everything," Fried said. "It's mostly because I've been

there before. But also the weather. San Diego is very similar to L.A. weather. I felt it was the easiest place

for me to focus."

Fried, who is represented by CAA, wasn't sure what happens next for him, but he sounded anxious to start

his professional career.

"I have no idea what the timetable is," he said. "Right now, I'm sort of on cloud nine still. Right now,

[I'm] still trying to take in the moment."

San Diego scout Brent Mayne, who spent 15 seasons as a Major League catcher, was the one who

recommended Fried. Mayne, like a lot of local scouts, saw Fried a lot in the past year.

"To be honest, I saw him very, very good, outstanding, in-between and not-too good," Maybe said. "I look

at mechanics from a certain extent, but for me, as a former player, it's whether I would like to face him or

wouldn't I like to face him. And he was a guy I wouldn't have been real comfortable facing."

Mayne, who is in his second season in the Padres' scouting department, said he's continually been

impressed by Fried's maturity.

"The thing that stood out for me was that he was mentally consistent, and even when he didn't have his

best stuff, he battled," Mayne said. "The routine was always the same, he didn't freak out. It was always

the same kind of approach. That's something that I value a lot."

This is the third Draft for the Padres' Jaron Madison, the director of scouting, and the first Draft with the

team for MacDonald.

A year ago, the Padres surprised the Draft field when they selected a junior college infielder at No. 10 --

Cory Spangenberg. The second baseman looks to be a smart pick, as he signed quickly and has already

advanced to Class A Lake Elsinore of the California League. After a slow start, he's hitting .296.

The Padres received two additional Draft picks (Nos. 33 and 70) after Heath Bell signed with the Marlins,

the 44th pick after Aaron Harang signed with the Dodgers and the 55th selection when 2011 pick Brett

Austin didn't sign with the club.

On Tuesday, the team has a second-round pick at No. 68 with a third-round pick set for No. 68 overall --

meaning the team will have had seven of the first 102 overall Draft picks.

Under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, each team has an allotted bonus pool equal to the sum

of the values of that club's selections in the first 10 rounds of the Draft. So for the Padres, this equates to

$9,902,300 for their 14 picks through those first 10 rounds.

The signing bonuses for a team's selections in the first 10 rounds, plus any bonus greater than $100,000

for a player taken after the 10th round, will apply toward the bonus-pool total.

Any team that exceeds up to five percent over its allotted pool will be taxed at a 75 percent rate on the

overage. Overages can result in a team being taxed with the potential loss of future Draft picks.

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Padres take 'impact guys' on Day 1 of Draft San Diego uses three of its four picks on high school pitchers

By Corey Brock / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- There was no knowing for sure when Monday began who the Padres would pick with

their four Draft choices -- though they certainly knew what type of player they wanted.

"We wanted upside, impact guys. ... Vanilla wasn't going to be good enough," said Chad MacDonald, the

Padres' assistant general manager of player personnel.

The Padres selected three high school pitchers on Monday and an athletic college center fielder who can

run and play defense.

With their first pick, No. 7 overall, San Diego tabbed left-handed pitcher Max Fried of Harvard-Westlake

High School in Studio City, Calif.

Pitching was certainly the theme of the first day of the Draft.

With the 33rd overall selection, the Padres selected right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin, from Hagerty High

School in Oviedo, Fla. The team then pegged its first position player of the day at No. 44 overall when it

tabbed an athletic outfielder in Travis Jankowski of Stony Brook University in New York.

Finally, the Padres selected right-handed pitcher Walker Weickel of Olympia High School in Orlando,

Fla., with the 55th overall pick.

Weickel throws a heavy fastball that sits in the low 90s. Weickel's high school teammate, outfielder Jesse

Winker, was selected by the Reds with the 49th overall selection.

Eflin, a 6-foot-6 right-hander, saw a notable bump in velocity in the last year. His fastball sits in the mid

90s, though he's topped out as high as 97 mph. He experienced tendinitis in his right triceps earlier in the

spring but is said to be healthy now, the Padres said Monday.

"This guy is going to log innings with control and command," MacDonald said.

Eflin has committed to play at Central Florida University and might be a tough sign for the Padres, who in

2011 had success in swaying first-round pick, pitcher Joe Ross, and second-round pick, catcher Austin

Hedges, away from commitments to UCLA.

The left-handed-hitting Jankowski has good speed and was considered a strong defender for Stony Brook.

He was the MVP of the Cape Cod League last summer, hitting .329 with 22 RBIs and 15 steals while he

played for Bourne. He led the league in hits, runs and triples.

Jankowski hit .412 this season for Stony Brook with 31 extra-base hits, 45 RBIs and 34 stolen bases in 40

attempts.

"He was one of the fastest runners in the Draft. On a scouting scale, we had him at 70-80 [speed]. He's a

table setter at the top of the lineup and a winner," MacDonald said.

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Weickel had a big senior season that saw him go 8-1 with 73 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings with a 0.92

ERA. He has signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Florida.

"He's a right-handed version of Fried," MacDonald said. "This guy is a first-round talent."

The Padres received two additional Draft picks (Nos. 33 and 70) after Heath Bell signed with the Marlins,

the 44th pick after Aaron Harang signed with the Dodgers and the 55th selection when 2011 Draft pick

Brett Austin didn't sign with the club.

On Tuesday, the team has a second-round pick at No. 68 and an additional pick at No. 70 (their second

Draft choice for Heath Bell signing with the Marlins) as well as their third-round pick. That gives the

Padres seven picks in the first 102 overall selections.

This is the third Draft for the Padres' Jaron Madison, the director of scouting, and the first Draft with the

team for MacDonald.

"Every club thinks they had a good day," MacDonald said. "I know we did."

Under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, each team has an allotted bonus pool equal to the sum

of the values of that club's selections in the first 10 rounds of the Draft. So for the Padres, this equates to

$9,902,300 for their 14 picks through those first 10 rounds.

The signing bonuses for a team's selections in the first 10 rounds, plus any bonus greater than $100,000

for a player taken after the 10th round, will apply toward the bonus-pool total.

Any team that exceeds up to five percent over its allotted pool will be taxed at a 75-percent rate on the

overage. Overages can result in a team being taxed with the potential loss of future Draft picks.

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Padres sign Ohlendorf, designate Palmer

By Corey Brock / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- With the Padres decimated by injuries, the player carousel continued to spin on Monday,

when the team signed right-hander Ross Ohlendorf to a Major League contract.

The team also announced that it has designated right-hander Matt Palmer for assignment. Palmer made

three appearances, allowing two earned runs in two innings. He made seven starts with Triple-A Tucson

before joining the big league club on May 20.

Ohlendorf, 29, went 4-3 with a 4.61 ERA in 10 starts this season for Triple-A Pawtucket. He had 15

walks and 37 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings for Boston's top Minor League affiliate.

He opted out of his Minor League contract on June 1 and became a free agent.

The Padres were interested in signing Ohlendorf right before Spring Training but instead signed Jeff

Suppan, who was designated for assignment last week after six starts.

Ohlendorf has pitched parts of five Major League seasons with the Yankees (2007-08) and Pirates (2009-

11), producing a 14-28 record and 4.77 ERA in 95 games, 64 of them starts.

Ohlendorf, who played wit outfielder Will Venable at Princeton in 2003-04, was selected by the D-backs

in the fourth round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft.

His best season came with the Pirates in 2009, when he went 11-10 with a 3.92 ERA in 29 starts.

The Padres have 11 players on the disabled list, including starters Tim Stauffer, Dustin Moseley, Cory

Luebke and Joe Wieland.

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Padres take HS lefty with top pick

By Bill Center

Originally published June 4, 2012 at 5:03 p.m., updated June 4, 2012 at 10:03 p.m.

Padres assistant general manager Chad MacDonald has a theory about baseball’s annual amateur draft.

“You can’t dictate what the draft gives to you,” MacDonald said Monday night. “The draft has to come to

you.

“It came to us.”

MacDonald was beaming after the Padres selected three high school starting pitchers -- led by left-hander

Max Fried with the seventh overall pick – plus a swift outfielder with their four picks on the first day of

baseball’s three-day draft.

“Every club thinks they had a good day,” continued MacDonald. “I know we did. Do we sound positive?

Yes, because it is real. We wanted upside impact guys. We got them.”

The Padres had four of the first 55 picks in the draft.

They followed the selection of Fried, who pitched for Harvard-Westlake High of Studio City, with a pair

of Florida right-handed high school pitchers sandwiched around a college center fielder who was the Most

Valuable Player in the Cape Cod Summer League last year.

Zach Eflin of Hagerty High in Oviedo, Fla., was selected with the 33rd overall pick that the Padres

received as compensation for losing Heath Bell to free agency. Walker Weickel of Olympia High on

Orlando was taken with the 55th overall pick that the Padres received as compensation for not signing

catcher Brett Austin from last year’s draft.

In between, with the 44th overall pick, the Padres drafted 6-foot-3 outfielder Travis Jankowski of Stony

Brook College. That pick was compensation for losing pitcher Aaron Harang as a free agent.

The Padres didn’t go into the draft planning to take three high school pitchers. And the selections of

Fried, Eflin and Weickel had nothing to do with the fact that the Padres starting rotation has been

decimated by injuries this season.

In fact, Fried wasn’t No. 1 on the Padres list.

The Padres entered the draft with Puerto Rican shortstop Carlos Correa and Georgia high school

outfielder Byron Buxton as the top two names on their dance card. Correa was the first pick of the draft

by the Houston Astros. Buxton went next to the Minnesota Twins.

The next four names on the Padres list were pitchers with Fried ranked fifth overall, but ahead of La Jolla

High grad and University of San Francisco product Kyle Zimmer.

“I didn’t think Fried was going to fall to us at No. 7,” said Padres general manager Josh Byrnes. “When

he was there, it didn’t take us long to make the final decision.”

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During the course of the high school season, the Padres had “10 or 11” sets of eyes travel to Studio City

to see Fried pitch. They invited Fried to a workout at Petco Park. A mutual admiration developed between

the pitcher and the Padres.

“Not only did we like what we saw, Max expressed interest in being a Padre,” said Byrnes.

The scouting report on Fried says his ceiling is as a No. 1 or No. 2 starter. He has three quality pitches

topped by a “plus-plus” curve that he can throw at different velocities and with different angles. His

fastball ranges from 89-95. And his low-80s changeup projects as a plus pitch. Fried’s command was

considered the best of any high school pitcher in this year’s draft.

“He’s years ahead in his pitching knowledge,” said Padres director of scouting Jaron Madison. “He

understands the concept of varying speeds and keeping hitters off balance. Max knows pitching.”

For example, shortly after being drafted by the Padres, Fried was looking forward to the possibility of

pitching in night games at Petco Park.

“It’s definitely a pitcher’s park,” said Fried, who attended several recent games at Petco Park. “Very big

and the ball doesn’t travel well at night. The more games I can throw there at night the better.”

Although he had worked out for the Padres and been their guest at Petco Park, Fried said he had no

advance knowledge that the Padres were drafting him.

“I found out on television,” said Fried. “I’ve tried to stay out of the talk before the draft. I’m on cloud

nine. All of it hasn’t hit me yet. But I am on Cloud Nine.”

Fried was 8-2 with a 2.20 earned run average this season for Harvard-Westlake High School in Studio

City. He struck out 105 batters while walking 33 in 66 innings. He transferred to Harvard-Westlake after

his original high school (Montclair College Prep) dropped all extra-curricular activities including

athletics.

The draft continues today with the second through 16th rounds. The Padres will have the day’s first and

third picks, a total of seven of the first 100 picks and 14 picks in the first 10 rounds.

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Too soon to know if Padres made correct choice

By Kevin Acee

Monday, June 4, 2012

The Padres passed on a college pitcher projected to have perhaps the shortest road to the majors among

the top arms available in the first round of the amateur draft.

Hmmm.

Could be déjà vu, or could be that it’s time to give the Padres credit.

Don’t pretend you know which.

High school lefty Max Fried, selected seventh overall, could be the guy who throws the next no-hitter in

Padres history (after post-op Cory Luebke throws the first one). Or it could be that all of us with perfect

vision when looking back in time end up lamenting the team not taking Stanford’s Mark Appel with the

seventh pick.

Even more than in football — exponentially so — the baseball draft is about throwing the dice … really

far. Especially when talking about a high school pitcher. There is nothing even close to a guarantee this

kid will even make it to the big leagues.

“It all comes down to risk and reward,” Padres assistant general manager Chad MacDonald said late

Monday. “… We understand the risk. We think it’s less (with Fried) than with some high school arms.”

Just one-third of the Padres’ 21 first-round picks between 1999 and 2008 have appeared in the majors

with the team.

Fried will likely be somewhere between Dave Winfield (fourth overall pick in 1974; in the Hall of Fame)

and Matt Bush (first overall pick in 2004; in jail). We don’t know whether he will be the Justin Verlander

we never got to appreciate (because he ended up throwing no-hitters in Detroit) or the Mark Phillips we

never appreciated (because he topped out at Single-A).

“We’re tickled to death we got our lefty,” MacDonald said of Fried, who pitched his senior season at

Harvard-Westlake High in the San Fernando Valley.

If Fried is three or four (or more) years from pitching at Petco, then the Padres believe he’s worth the

wait.

In fact, they are showing a lot of patience at present.

The Padres took three high school pitchers among their four picks Monday, grabbing Oviedo, Fla., right-

hander Zach Elfin with the 33rd overall pick and Walker Weickel out of Orlando at No. 55.

“We realize it’s a long road and it’s a risk,” MacDonald said. “But we also think highly of their upside.”

As for Appel, he lasted only one pick after the Padres, as the Pittsburgh Pirates chose him at No. 8.

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Now, Appel is represented by Scott Boras, the uber-agent who is almost as well-known for teams

avoiding at draft time as he is for getting his major league clients gigantic contracts. Most notably,

perhaps, the Padres in 2004 decided to not take Stephen Drew or Jered Weaver with the No. 1 pick in

favor of Bush.

The Padres did sign Boras client Austin Hedges last year after the high school catcher fell to the second

round.

There was speculation Appel would go No. 1, and there was also talk he wanted more money than it

might take to sign Fried.

MacDonald said the Padres considered Appel as he fell. Asked if who his agent was and what his

demands might be played any role in them passing on Appel, the answer from MacDonald was swift:

“No.”

And it is not difficult to accept the argument that Fried was the most promising player available to the

Padres. The incomparable periodical Baseball America had him rated as the top left-hander available in

the draft, high school or college.

Given the proximity of Fried’s high school games, the Padres were able to get a bunch of their top people

to see him in person multiple times.

Fried, at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, throws in the mid-90s with a promising curve and a change-up in

production. He was 8-2 with a 2.02 ERA this past season, striking out 105, walking 29 and allowing just

43 hits in 66 innings. And his growth the past year would seem to be reason for optimism.

For the first time, he focused solely on baseball the past year, took up weight training and gained 15 to 20

pounds. All of that, he said, helped him maintain his delivery throughout the season.

“He’s added four or five mph to his fastball,” Harvard-Westlake coach Matt LaCour said. “And we just

don’t know where it’s going to end up, because that body has some room to fill out. The kid will not look

the same in three years.”

As long as he’s somewhere near San Diego by then. He has already visited Petco Park and met the

decision makers. And he knows something very important about the home field.

“It’s definitely a pitcher’s park,” Fried said. “It’s very big, and the ball doesn’t travel well at night. The

more night games I’d be able to pitch there, the better.”

We’ll see. Maybe.

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Padres sign veteran pitcher Ohlendorf

By U-T San Diego

Originally published June 4, 2012 at 2:35 p.m., updated June 4, 2012 at 8:55 p.m.

The Padres added yet another veteran pitcher to their roster Monday, signing right-hander Ross

Ohlendorf, formerly of the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees.

Ohlendorf is expected to fill the role as the Padres' long reliever. Matt Palmer, who had been in that role,

was designated for assignment.

Ohlendorf, 29, has gone 14-28 with a 4.77 ERA in 95 games (64 starts) for the Yankees (2007-08) and

Pirates (2008-11). This season he was 4-3 with a 4.61 ERA over 10 starts for Triple-A Pawtucket in the

Boston Red Sox organization.

A native of Austin, Texas, Ohlendorf played at Princeton, where he was a teammate of Padres outfielder

Will Venable. Ohlendorf originally was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks as a fourth-round selection

in the 2004 draft.

Palmer, 33, made three appearances for the Padres this year, pitching two innings. He also made seven

starts for Triple-A Tucson.

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Minors Report: Starting pitching sharp

By Bill Center

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

The Padres received strong outings from right-handed starting pitchers at all four levels of the minor

league system Monday night.

--Jorge Reyes (4.58 ERA) threw six shutout innings for Triple-A Tucson, giving up six hits and two walks

with two strikeouts.

--Josh Geer (3.70) allowed three runs (one earned) on seven hits over six innings for Double-A San

Antonio. He didn’t issue a walk while striking out five.

--Burch Smith (4.04 ERA) allowed one run on three hits over six innings for Single-A Lake Elsinore. He

struck out seven without walking a hitter.

--Cody Hebner (3.79 ERA) allowed one run on three hits over six innings for low Single-A Fort Wayne.

He walked one and struck out eight.

Around The Farm

Triple-A Tucson (20-37): Tucson 3, COLORADO SPRINGS 1 – 3B Jedd Gyroko (.357) had a double,

two RBI and a run scored. C Yasmani Grandal (.315) had a RBI double. Reyes improved to 4-6. LHP

Josh Spence (2.70 ERA) allowed the only run given up by the T-Padres. RHP Cory Burns (3.62 ERA)

worked a perfect inning, RHP Erik Hamren (1.89 ERA) allowed a hit in a scoreless inning and RHP Brad

Boxberger (4.09 ERA) picked up his fifth save with two strikeouts in a perfect inning.

Double-A San Antonio (23-33): ARKANSAS 5, San Antonio 4 – 3B Edinson Rincon was 3-for-3 with

two RBI. C Ali Solis (.311) had two doubles in five at-bats with a RBI. LF Jake Blackwood (.310) was 2-

for-3 with a double, a stolen base and a RBI. RHP Daniel Strange (3.18 ERA) struck out one in a

scoreless inning after Geer, but RHP Matt Lollis (1-3, 4.30 ERA) allowed two runs on two hits and a walk

in the eighth to suffer the loss. He struck out two.

Single-A Lake Elsinore (31-27): LAKE ELSINORE 8, Visalia 1 – 2B Cory Spangenberg climbed over

.300 (.304), going 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, two runs scored, his 20th stolen base and three RBI. 3B

Justin Miller (.438 in his 14 games since being promoted from Fort Wayne) was 3-for-5 with a double and

two runs scored. DH Tommy Medica was 3-for-5 with three RBI. Smith (4-3) picked up the win. LHP

Jeremy Gigliotti (1.17 ERA) had a strikeout while allowing two hits in two scoreless innings. RHP Mark

Pope (5.70 ERA) pitched a perfect ninth.

Single-A Fort Wayne (26-32): LAKE COUNTY 4, Fort Wayne 3 (13 innings) – 2B Casey McElroy was

2-for-4 with a solo homer. SS Tyler Stubblefield was 2-for-6, but his error in the bottom of the eighth

allowed Lake County to tie the game on two unearned runs. RHP Matthew Stites (0.89 ERA) was the

victim of the error. He allowed one hit against two strikeouts over two innings with the two unearned

runs. RHP John Barbato (1.78 ERA) struck out the side in his scoreless inning around two hits. RHP Luis

De La Cruz (5.01 ERA) allowed two hits and two walks in two scoreless innings. LHP Robert Eisenbach

(0-3, 5.09 ERA) allowed the decisive run on three hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings.

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Daily Update: Looking at the losses through numbers

By Bill Center

Monday, June 4, 2012

Losses by the numbers:

--The Padres have lost 11 of their last 13 games.

--Seven of the last eight Padres games were considered day games. The Padres have lost all seven. After

their first 14 day games this season, the Padres were 7-7. Now they are 7-14.

--The Padres are 4-16 in games when the opposition starts a left-handed pitcher.

--The Padres are now 8-16 against rivals from the National League West.

The Daily Five (Notes, Stats and Numbers)

--1B Yonder Alonso went 2-for-24 last week, his average falling from .304 to .274. He entered the week

leading all National League rookies in batting average. Now he ranks sixth. He still leads all National

League rookies in hits (52), walks (23), doubles (16) and ranks second in total bases (71).

--LHP Joe Thatcher has stranded 16 of the 18 runners he has inherited this season. His 11.8 percent of

inherited runners scoring ranks third among National League left-handed relievers. His career mark of

21.2 percent of inherited runners scoring (38 of 179) leads all active left-handed relievers.

--OF Will Venable’s strained oblique would rob the Padres of one of their hotter hitters if he has to go on

the disabled list. In 24 games since May 8, Venable is hitting .307 (23-for-75) with eight doubles, three

triples and three home runs. Venable’s .450 slugging percentage leads all qualifying Padres hitters.

--The Padres are hitting a major league-worst .191 with runners in scoring position this season. They have

128 strikeouts against only 83 hits in RISP situations. Even worse, the Padres are hitting .153 in RISP

situations with two outs. Nick Hundley (.114), Chris Denorfia (.182) and Cameron Maybin (.195) are

regulars hitting under .200 in RISP situations. The Padres leaders: Venable (.276) and Alonso (.273).

--2B Alex Amarista is 1-for-21 in nine road games as a Padre.

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PADRES: Left-hander Fried selected with seventh overall pick

17 hours ago • By DAN HAYES dhayes@nctimes.com

SAN DIEGO ---- The Padres selected Harvard-Westlake left-handed pitcher Max Fried with the seventh

overall pick of Major League Baseball's amateur draft on Monday afternoon.

Fried wowed the Padres in a recent workout at Petco Park, a team source said. Fried was 8-2 with a 2.20

ERA and 105 strikeouts against only 33 walks in 66 innings this season.

With a fastball that touches 94 mph, Fried drew a comparison to Rancho Bernardo High grad Cole

Hamels from MLB Network analyst John Hart. Fried has committed to UCLA.

"I had no idea," Fried told MLB.com. "It was one of the crazier moments. This whole process has been a

great honor. It was definitely very nerve-racking."

The Padres have three more picks left on the first day of draft. They select 33rd, 44th and 55th.

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PADRES: Padres go heavy on pitching

10 hours ago • By JOHN MAFFEI jmaffei@nctimes.com

SAN DIEGO ---- The Padres' hopes of landing shortstop Carlos Correa with the seventh pick of baseball's

first-year draft were dashed 15 minutes into the event, when the Houston Astros took the Puerto Rican

with the No. 1 overall pick.

So the Padres, picking at No. 7, went with pitching. They chose left-hander Max Fried from Harvard-

Westlake High in North Hollywood.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Fried, who is committed to UCLA, wowed Padres officials at a recent Petco

park workout.

With the 33rd pick, the Padres took right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin from Hagerty High in Florida.

Outfielder Travis Jankowski from Stony Brook College (N.Y.) was the Padres' pick at No. 44. He hit .403

in college this season and was the MVP of the prestigious Cape Cod League last summer.

The Padres' final pick of the draft's first night was right-hander Walker Weikel from Olympia High of

Orlando, Fla., taken with the No. 55 pick.

"Every club thinks they had a good draft, and we certainly think we did," said Chad MacDonald, Padres

assistant general manager of player personnel. "We think we got the best left-handed pitcher in the draft.

Fried is a loose, athletic kid who throws downhill. His delivery and actions are superb."

MacDonald wouldn't say if the Padres were disappointed Correa was gone long before the Padres have a

chance at him. Sources have indicated that the Padres were one of the first teams to rank him high.

Correa's selection at No. 1 had a significant effect on the draft.

"I had no notice the Padres were going to take me," Fried said. "I found out on TV and was instantly

excited. It was very nice to hear my name."

He finished the season 8-2 record and a 2.21 ERA. In 66 innings, he had 102 strikeouts and 33 walks.

Fried transferred to Harvard-Westlake for his senior season after Montclair Prep dropped extra-curricular

activities.

"I had always played basketball as well as baseball," Fried said. "This summer was the first time I

dedicated myself to one sport and weight training. I was able to gain 15-20 pounds and maintain my

delivery."

Living about two hours from San Diego, Fried said he has seen a couple of games at Petco Park and liked

what he saw.

"It's definitely a pitcher's park," he said. "It's a very big ballpark and the ball doesn't travel at night. So I'll

pitch as many night games as I can."

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The Padres took three high school pitchers, typically the most-risky position. MacDonald said he wasn't

concerned.

"You can't dictate what the draft gives you," MacDonald said. "We wanted upside, impact guys. We didn't

want to draft vanilla. Eflin is a big, strong guy with a clean delivery. He'll log innings and projects as a

middle-of-the-rotation guy ... or better. Weickel is the right-handed version of Fried."

Padres general manager Josh Byrnes was asked if the recent rash of injuries to the Padres' pitching staff

prompted the early run on pitchers.

"No, not really," he said. "But the injuries remind you that you need more pitching than you think. When

you think you have enough pitching, you need more."

The Baseball America scouting report on Fried reads: "Lean, athletic and projectable Fried has a

fluid delivery and advanced feel for three pitches that all have a chance to be plus or better. At his

best, he adds and subtracts from a fastball that ranges from 88-95 mph, generally pitching with

solid-average velocity, though he has the ability to reach back for more when he needs to. His best

pitch is a tight downer curveball in the 74-78 mph range that rates conservatively as a plus pitch

and flashes plus-plus. He can manipulate the shape and velocity of the curveball depending on the

situation, throwing it for a strike or a chase pitch. His low-80s changeup is already at least average

and projects as another plus pitch. Fried is cerebral and determined. He projects as a potential No.

2 starter in the big leagues with a chance to be a No. 1."

The Baseball America scouting report on Eflin reads: "The Central Florida recruit added velocity

over the course of the 2011 showcase circuit and was maintaining that velocity this spring, sitting

in the 90-94 mph range and touching 96-97. Eflin complements his fastball with one of the best

changeups in the prep ranks and an inconsistent, slurvy curveball that nonetheless has decent

shape and flashed average. Eflin missed the month of April due to triceps tendinitis, and an MRI

on his elbow came back negative. Eflin is said to be a homebody, so signability could be a

question."

The scouting report on Jankowski reads: "One of the best athletes in this draft class, Jankowski

stands out for his speed, bat and defense. He has a live body, and he's a plus runner who plays

above-average defense in center field with an average arm. A left-handed hitter, Jankowski has an

unorthodox swing, but it works for him. It's a handsy swing similar to Dustin Ackley's, but

Jankowski doesn't have the same power or strength."

Weickel had 87 strikeouts in 66 innings with just 25 walks, playing in one of the most talent-rich

areas in this year's draft.

17

PADRES: Team looks for future stars in draft

June 04, 2012 6:00 am • By JOHN MAFFEI jmaffei@nctimes.com

SAN DIEGO ---- Major League Baseball executives will tell you never, never, never draft for need.

Always take the best player available regardless of position.

This season, however, there could be a harmonic convergence for the Padres.

Choosing seventh in the Monday's draft, Carlos Correa ---- the best shortstop available in the draft ----

could be sitting there.

And if you have seen the Padres play this season, or know anything about the organization's minor-league

system, the team is in desperate need of a top-flight shortstop.

Everth Cabrera is the big-league shortstop. Beamer Weems plays the position for Triple-A Tucson. Jeudy

Valdez is at Double-A San Antonio. Chris Bisson is at Lake Elsinore and Jace Peterson is the shortstop at

Low-A Fort Wayne.

Only Peterson is considered a prospect.

"Shortstops and catchers are in limited supply in the draft," said Padres scouting director Jaron Madison.

"So they attract a lot of attention.

"With those positions, it's a matter of supply and demand. So you need to get them when they're

available."

Does that mean the Padres are leaning toward Correa?

Madison wouldn't say.

"He's all upside," Madison said of the 17-year old from Puerto Rico. "But there is a lot of risk, too, with a

player that young. There is a chance, though, that he'll be really good.

"Because it takes three, four, five years for a prospect to get to the big leagues, because so many things

can happen, injuries and the like, you can't draft by position."

Scouting reports have Correa as the top hitter in the draft, a player many scouts compare to Alex

Rodriguez.

He has power and grades out as a plus-.300 hitter.

He's 6-foot-3, but hasn't outgrown the shortstop position.

The problem is Correa is so good that he might not be on the board when the Padres pick at No. 7.

While several mock drafts have Correa going to the Padres, one has him going No. 3 to the Mariners,

another No. 4 to the Orioles, another No. 5 to the Royals and another No. 6 to the Cubs.

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So you get the idea, he's pretty darn good. And there is a better than even chance he'll be long gone before

the Padres pick.

"This year more than any, we know the names of the top 10 players," Madison said. "But there is no clear-

cut No. 1, so until Houston picks No. 1, no one knows the order those 10 will go.

"Everyone you talk to has a different order."

If Correa is gone, the Padres could reach for Arizona State shortstop Devin Marrero, who some have

going as high as No. 8 to the Pirates. Most, however, have him no better than No. 15 because of an

underachieving season.

So if Correa is gone, where do the Padres go?

Insiders say left-handed pitcher Max Fried from Harvard-Westlake High knocked the organization's socks

off in a recent workout.

One mock draft has the Padres taking Fried's Harvard-Westlake teammate, right-hander Lucas Giolito,

who hits 100 mhp with his fastball. But Giolito sprained his ulnar collateral ligament in March and saw

limited duty this season.

Fried finished the season 8-2 with a 2.2 ERA. He had 105 strikeouts and 33 walks in 66 innings.

Giolito worked only 16 2/3 innings finishing with a 2-1 record and an 0.84 ERA. He has 15 strikeouts in

16 2/3 innings.

Albert Almora, an outfielder from Marion Christian Academy in Florida, has been linked to the Padres as

has hard-throwing Marcus Stroman from Duke and Mississippi State right-hander Chris Stratton.

Stroman was 6-5 with a 2.39 ERA with 26 walks and 136 strikeouts in 98 innings.

Stratton was 11-2 with a 2.38 ERA. In 109 2/3 innings, he walked just 25 with 127 strikeouts.

Most expect Stanford right-hander Mark Appel, Georgia high school outfielder Byron Buxton, Florida

catcher Mike Zunino, LSU right-hander Kevin Gausman, USF and former Point Loma High right-hander

Kyle Zimmer and Almora to be gone before the Padres have a chance at them.

"We'll put our top 10 players on the board, and we'll be happy with who ever falls to us," Madison said.

"There is a lot of high school pitching in this draft. The colleges are a little down.

"Teams build through the middle, so shortstops and catching will go quickly. And there always a ton of

corner infielders, outfielders and right-handed pitchers."

This year's draft will be a little different.

Bonuses for draft picks are slotted and teams can be penalized heavily ---- fines and draft picks ---- for

going over the slot.

19

The Padres will be allowed to spend $9,903,100 on their top 14 draft picks with $3 million going to the

first pick.

Teams can no longer draft a player in the 15th round and give him third-round money.

"There could be some real twists with the cap and slotting," Madison said. "Players can rise or fall

depending on if they're willing to take slot money.

"So it will be a very interesting draft."

MLB DRAFT

When: Monday (first round and supplemental picks), Tuesday (picks 2-20) and Wednesday (picks 21-40)

Where: MLB Network's Studio 42 in Secaucus, N.J.

Time: 4 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday

TV: MLB Network on Monday

First-day Padres picks: 7, 33 (for losing Heath Bell), 44 (for losing Aaron Harang), 55 (for not signing

Brett Austin).

Padres bonus caps: $9,903,100 for top 14 picks ---- $3 million to No. 1, $1,525,000 to No. 33, $1,165,600

to No. 44, $925,500 to No. 55 and &757,900 to No. 68.

Total rounds: 40, down from 50 last year

Signing deadline: 2 p.m. July 5 instead of 9 p.m. Aug. 15 last year

Big league contracts for draftees: Forbidden. Last year, they were permitted.

20

Padres Go High School Heavy In Draft The Padres Added 3 Prep Arms On Monday By Derek Togerson

Monday, Jun 4, 2012 | Updated 10:29 PM PDT

Bud Black's pitching staff has been overwhelmed with injuries, so the Padres drafted a trio of high school

pitchers on Monday. (Photo by John Grieshop/Getty Images)

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The Padres franchise is flush with pitching. At least, it was until this year, when injuries cut down starters

from the big leagues all the way down to Double-A San Antonio, reminding the front office of a sobering

baseball truth.

"You need more pitching than you think you need," said general manager Josh Byrnes on Monday night.

Perhaps that's why the Padres came out of the first day of the 2012 MLB Draft with three new arms, all

high schoolers.

In the first round the Padres selected Max Fried, a left-hander from Harvard-Westlake HS in North

Hollywood. He has good velocity and already throws a major league-caliber curve ball that Baseball

America said is the best in this year's draft class. With Fried being just up the road, the Padres got a lot of

chances to analyze him and get comfortable with his potential.

"I would say we had at least 10 or 11 different people look at him," said Padres Scouting Director Jaron

Madison. "I saw him myself three times, so we've had plenty of looks."

The Padres also had 3 compensatory picks, which are draft picks given to teams who lose free agents to

other teams.

With the 33rd overall selection (received for losing Heath Bell), they grabbed right-hander Zach Eflin

form Hagerty HS in Florida. In his senior year, he only allowed 16 hits in 43 innings.

"This guy's gonna log innings," said Padres Vice President of Player Personnel Chad MacDonald. "(He

has) Middle of the rotation, if not better, type-stuff."

With the 44th overall pick (received for losing Aaron Harang) the Padres went offense, taking outfielder

Travis Jankowski from Stony Brook University in NY. Jankowski was the MVP of the prestigious Cape

Cod Summer League in 2011 (an award also won by Rays All-Star Evan Longoria). He might have been

the fastest player in this year's draft, and only struck out 17 times his final year in college.

"He can steal bases, he's a plus-plus defender in center, he's a table setter at the top of your lineup, he's a

winner," said MacDonald. "To get him at number 44 we were tickled to death."

The Padres finished the day with the 55th overall pick (in exchange for losing Brett Austin) with right-

handed pitcher Walker Weickel from Olympia HS in Florida.

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"He's the right-handed version of Fried," said MacDonald. "If you would have told me this guy was our

fourth pick four months ago, I'd have said no way."

Weickel went 12-1 with a 1.22 ERA in his senior year, earning a spot in the Perfect Game All-American

Classic that was played at PETCO Park.

Interestingly, the three pitchers look like they could be starting for the San Diego Padres or the Oklahoma

City Thunder. Fried is 6'4", Eflin is 6'5" and Weickel is 6'6". Big bodies with easy deliveries, they all

throw hard without trying to throw hard.

"These guys really have all the starter ingredients," said Byrnes. "We realize it's a long road and there's

some risk, but we also think there's upside. There's power in numbers."

Byrnes has a good history with drafting young pitchers, especially left-handers. He was involved with the

selection of All-Stars C.C. Sabathia and Jon Lester.

Now comes the hard part. All of the pitchers have college scholarship offers. If they can't come to terms

on a contract, they can always go to school instead of turning pro. Byrnes is confident all three will be

playing in the Padres system this Summer.

"The signing process is already underway," he said. "Hopefully we'll know who we sign, for how much,

and get them out in to professional baseball."

22

Draft intrigue

By Tom Krasovic

Did the Padres take us for another spin on Cheap Boulevard?

Was this a scream-inducing reprise of 2004 or 2001 or 2008, or some other year in which the Padres

treated the draft's first round like a 99 Cents Only Store?

Put another way, did the Padres value dollars over scouting sense today when they passed on Mark

Appel, the Stanford pitcher who fell to, and by, them at No. 7, less than 24 hours after several draft

experts pegged him to go first to the Astros?

No, no and no, said Josh Byrnes when I pressed him on the subject.

The general manager knows why you'd be skeptical, even if he's only nine months into this job.

One of the Padres' low-revenue brethren, the Pirates, selected Appel at No. 8. Appel is advised by Scott

Boras, knee-busting agent and ghost of haunted Padres drafts. It was Boras who counseled Stephen

Drew and Jered Weaver in 2004, when the Padres went against their scouts, fled from Boras and chose

Matt Bush first overall.

Were there a list of owners who despise Boras, Padres owner John Moores certainly would be near the

top of it. Moores told me on the record several years ago that Padres research showed that Boras players

usually aren't worth the above-standard draft deals they got. As if to prove Moores's point, the Padres

drafted Donavan Tate, a Boras player, with the third pick in 2009 and gave him $6.25 million. Moores is

trying to sell the Padres this summer. Just a guess, but further enriching Boras probably isn't on the Texas

tycoon's moving checklist.

Byrnes, who gets along well with Boras, said he talked to the agent today but not so much about Appel.

He said the Padres scouted Appel through recent days. He didn't say where Appel ranked on San Diego's

draft board, but I'm confident in writing that he was fourth, only one spot of the player the Padres selected

seventh, Southern California high school pitcher Max Fried of Encino. For more about Fried, read my

story in Baseball America.

Byrnes said he chatted with Fried and the lefty's father when the pitcher visited Petco Park for a predraft

workout. "They really, really wanted to be Padres, which was good to know," he said.

If the Padres were confident they could sign Fried for less than Appel would've cost them, perhaps far

less, the savings could help them land another high school pitcher that Byrnes said they regard as a top-

round talent, Walter Weickel. Such give-and-take isn't new to the draft but seems more critical this year.

Baseball's new labor agreement prescribes bonuses for every pick in the first 10 rounds and levies stiffer

penalties than under the previous pact. Rule-breakers will face steep taxes or the loss of picks. Scouts say

this system won't be gamed nearly as easily as the last one.

It'll be interesting to see how much the Pirates pay Appel if they do sign him. And if they don't sign him,

the No. 8 pick's assigned value, $2.9 million, would be removed from Pittsburgh's 11-pick draft pool,

which is $6.6 million. The Padres seem confident that they'll sign both Fried and Weickel and two others

taken today before the 56th pick. In all, the Padres have $9.9 million for their 14 picks within the top 10

rounds.

23

"It's a whole draft." Byrnes said. "You probably will see when our signings come in how we used our

money."

Byrnes acknowledged that Weickel didn't have a strong spring but called him a legitimate first-round

talent. MacDonald described the 6-foot-6 righty from Orlando, taken 55th, as a right-handed Fried. Of

Appel, he said: "I thought he was a pretty good player. I think he's going to be a good major league

player. And I have no idea why he fell."

Byrnes said the Padres scouted Appel "very thoroughly" with assistance from assistant GM A.J. Hinch, a

former Stanford catcher.

Just because several reputable draftniks had Appel going first doesn't mean that teams high in the draft

also did as well.

"Maybe our own evaluators didn't match some of the experts," Byrnes said. "I think if you read between

the lines on how (the mock drafters) ultimately ranked the players, their draft order was different from

their own rankings. I think they were trying to think along with the teams."

A scout not affiliated with the Padres whose club had a top-10 pick told me the Padres shouldn't be

thought cheap or negligent for passing on Appel. "Fried has a chance to be the best pitcher from this draft

in three, four years," he said. "He's not Cole Hamels, but he has a chance to anchor a staff."

Here, in order, are the players who occupied first, second and third on the Padres' draft board: Georgia

high school outfielder Byron Buxton, taken second by the Twins; Puerto Rico prep academy shortstop

Carlos Correa, selected first by the Astros; and LSU pitcher Kevin Gausman, chosen fourth by the

Orioles.

24

Teammates Max Fried and Lucas Giolito are drafted in first round

Studio City Harvard-Westlake pitchers are selected seventh and 16th overall by the San Diego

Padres and Washington Nationals, respectively, in Major League Baseball's amateur draft.

Houston Astros select Puerto Rican prep shortstop Carlos Correa with top overall pick.

Eric Sondheimer

10:10 PM PDT, June 4, 2012

Surrounded by family and friends at an Encino restaurant, left-handed pitcher Max Fried of Studio City

Harvard-Westlake looked up at the television screen and heard Commissioner Bud Selig announce his

name as the seventh overall selection in baseball's amateur draft.

"Honestly, it's all a blur," Fried said Monday night. "It's an unbelievable feeling."

Fried was selected by the San Diego Padres. His Harvard-Westlake teammate, Lucas Giolito, was selected

No. 16 overall by the Washington Nationals, ending a day of uncertainty for the 6-foot-6 right-hander.

"No one had any idea where I'd go," Giolito said. "I could have gone anywhere. To go that early feels

really good, especially after my arm was injured. I had a huge question mark next to my name."

Giolito sprained an elbow ligament in March after being clocked throwing a couple of fastballs at 100

mph. He was considered a candidate to be the No. 1 pick until the injury ended his senior season.

The Houston Astros selected 6-foot-4 shortstop Carlos Correa from Puerto Rico with the No. 1 pick. The

17-year-old has accepted a scholarship to Miami, but the recommended bonus for the No. 1 spot is $7.2

million.

Outfielder Byron Buxton, from Appling County High in Baxley, Ga., went second to the Minnesota

Twins.

The Dodgers, drafting 18th, chose 6-4 shortstop Corey Seager from Northwest Cabarrus High in

Kannapolis, N.C. He was the Gatorade North Carolina player of the year after hitting .519 with 10 home

runs and is the younger brother of Seattle Mariners infielder Kyle Seager.

The Angels' first pick won't come until Tuesday when they select No. 114 overall.

It's the third time in five years that a team in Southern California has produced two first-round draft picks.

In 2007, Chatsworth High had Mike Moustakas taken No. 2 by the Kansas City Royals and Matt

Dominguez No. 12 by the then-Florida Marlins. And last year, UCLA's Gerrit Cole was chosen No. 1 by

the Pittsburgh Pirates and teammate Trevor Bauer went No. 3 to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In the compensation round, Upland infielder Daniel Robertson, a UCLA signee, went to the Athletics at

No. 34. USC signee Shane Watson, a pitcher from Lakewood, went No. 40 to the Phillies. The Dodgers

chose shortstop Jesmuel Valentin from Puerto Rico at No. 51. His father, Jose, played in the major

leagues. UCLA outfielder Jeff Gelalich went to the Reds at No. 57.

UCLA Coach John Savage can claim Fried and Giolito as Bruins, but it remains to be seen for how long.

Both signed with UCLA in November.

25

Some might wonder whether Savage is secretly a consultant for the Padres, since they drafted UCLA

signees Austin Hedges and Joe Ross last year and spent $5.5 million to sign them and will likely need to

spend about $3 million to sign Fried.

"The Padres got us again," Savage said. "I'm happy for Max. From where he was a year ago to where he is

now is pretty awesome."

Fried, who's Jewish, considers Dodgers Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax his baseball hero. He wears

Koufax's No. 32 and throws a curveball patterned after Koufax.

"It's just something I've been wanting to do since I was 5 years old," Fried said. "Ever since my first

Dodger game, I've wanted to play professional baseball. Now that the opportunity is here, it's something

I'm going to embrace and really enjoy."

Clubs have until 2 p.m. PDT on July 13 to sign prospects.

"We'll see how negotiations play out and what's a fair deal," Giolito said.

26

Padres go young in MLB draft

Alan Drooz San Diego Padres Examiner

With a chance to grab a certified college star pitcher projected as a top-of-the-rotation major leaguer, the

San Diego Padres went young in Monday's First-Year Player Draft.

The Padres had been hoping to be able to snag Puerto Rican shortstop Carlos Correa, but he shot up the

charts and was the draft's first pick, by Houston. With the seventh pick, the Padres took tall, lanky left-

handed pitcher Max Fried, a high school star from Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley.

Funny thing was, still available was dominating Stanford pitcher Mark Appel, projected by many scouts

as the No. 1 pick. Appel apparently came with signability baggage, and as his standing tumbled seven

teams passed on him until the Pirates took him with the eighth pick.

The Padres selected four players on the first day of draft, including three in the Compensation Round. The

40-round draft continues Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. PDT.

After choosing the 6-foot-4, 170-pound Fried, the Padres selected 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher Zach

Eflin at 33rd overall out of Hagerty High School (Fla.). With the 44th overall selection the Padres took

center fielder Travis Jankowski out of Stony Brook University (N.Y.). During his junior campaign this

past season, he hit .412. Jankowski was named the Most Valuable Player of the Cape Cod Summer

League in 2011.

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With their final selection Monday, the Padres chose 6-foot-6 right-handed pitcher Walker Weickel out of

OIympia High School (Fla.) with the 55th overall selection. Weickel went 12-1 with a 1.22 ERA in 66

innings pitched, allowing just 27 hits and 25 walks against 87 strikeouts during his senior campaign.

27

Padres Take Max Fried

Posted Jun. 4, 2012 6:54 pm by Conor Glassey

Filed under: Draft Day, News

Picking seventh-overall, the Padres took the best high school pitcher available in the draft with lefthander

Max Fried from Harvard-Westlake High in Studio City, Calif.

Fried is a great athlete who also hit cleanup for his high school and the athleticism helps on the mound.

Fried pitches in the 89-91 mph range and tops out at 95. He has a well above-average curveball and a very

good changeup. Fried pounds the zone with all three pitches.

Fried will likely forgo his commitment to UCLA and has already pitched at Petco Park in the Perfect

Game All-American game last summer.

28

Lucky 7: Fried taken by Padres; Giolito goes 16th to Nats, UCLA's Gelalich to

Cincinnati

By Erik Boal Staff Writer Posted: 06/04/2012 10:25:56 PM PDT

Updated: 06/04/2012 11:22:21 PM PDT

Max Fried pitched in PETCO Park in August at the Perfect Game All-American Classic, which

showcased several of the nation's elite high school baseball prospects.

Now, the goal for the Harvard-Westlake senior will be to return there in the near future to pitch for the

San Diego Padres after being picked seventh Monday in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player

Draft.

"It's definitely a pitcher's park," Fried told the San Diego Union Tribune. "It's very big, and the ball

doesn't travel well at night. The more night games I'd be able to pitch there, the better.

"It's been my dream to play professionally and make it to the major leagues since I've been 5 years old ...

Right now I'm just trying to take in the moment."

The Washington Nationals have a recent history of drafting high-profile athletes, including pitcher

Stephen Strasburg in 2009 and outfielder Bryce Harper in 2010.

Lucas Giolito, Fried's high school teammate this season, was added to that list with his selection at No.

16, marking the fourth time in five years the Nationals have selected a pitcher in the first round.

Giolito was projected to be a potential top-10 pick, if not the first high school pitcher drafted, before

spraining his ulnar collateral ligament in his right throwing elbow in March.

It marks the first time since 2007 that a pair of local high school teammates were both drafted in the first

round, when Chatsworth's Mike Moustakas was taken second overall by the Kansas City Royals and Matt

Dominguez was drafted 12th by the Marlins.

Both Fried and Giolito, along with Camarillo senior pitcher Hunter Virant, had originally committed to

UCLA. They must decide by July 13 whether to sign or to play for the Bruins.

"I had no idea (I'd be chosen by the Padres). Getting drafted by a big-league organization is a complete

honor," Fried said in an interview with MLB Network. "It's just craziness waiting for the commissioner to

call your name.

"It was definitely very nerve-wracking," Fried added. "Once the first pick went, I got very nervous and

couldn't wait for my name to get called. The whole process has been a complete honor."

Fried's selection marks the highest an area high school pitcher has been selected since Palmdale's Matt

Harrington went No. 7 in 2000.

29

The last time a left-handed prep pitcher was drafted as high as Fried was in 2006, when the Dodgers

selected Clayton Kershaw - the reigning National League Cy Young award winner - with the seventh

overall pick out of Highland Park High in Dallas.

Fried, who transferred from Montclair Prep to Harvard-Westlake for his senior year after the Mounties'

athletics program was cut last summer, went 8-2 with a 2.02 ERA and 105 strikeouts and 33 walks in 66

innings. He also hit .448 with 27 runs and 20 RBIs.

After going 9-1 with 78 strikeouts in 70.3 innings as a junior - also appearing at the Perfect Game All-

American Classic with Fried and Virant - Giolito managed only 16innings before being sidelined with his

injury, but that didn't deter the Nationals from selecting a prospect they evaluated as a top-three pick in

the draft when healthy.

"We have been on this guy from Day 1. We just felt that the reward outweighed the risk, and we did our

homework and our due diligence on his health and his makeup," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo

told MLB.com. "We decided that this is the type of player, the type of stuff and the type of ceiling that we

want here in Washington and in the Nationals organization.

"This is the guy that can impact a rotation. (Lucas) is a big physical guy that fits in with the other

physical, hard-throwing guys that we already have ... We'll put our best foot forward and try to sell him on

our place here. Washington is the place that will get him the healthiest and give him the best opportunity

to do what he wants to do, and that is to pitch in the big leagues."

UCLA junior outfielder Jeff Gelalich was selected 57th by the Cincinnati Reds in Compensation Round

A. It marked the second time Gelalich, a Bonita High graduate, had been drafted after being selected by

the Philadelphia Phillies in the 41st round in 2009.

Gelalich is hitting a team-leading .372 with 11 home runs, 53 runs and 46 RBIs for the Bruins (45-14),

who play host to Texas Christian (40-20) in the best-of-three NCAA Super Regionals, beginning Friday at

Jackie Robinson Stadium.

It marked the third year in a row the Bruins had at least one player selected among the first 75 picks.

Gerrit Cole was the No. 1 draft choice by the Pittsburgh Pirates last year, with teammate Trevor Bauer, a

Hart graduate, going third to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Robert Rasmussen was drafted 73rd in 2010 by

the Marlins.

30

Four TinCaps Selected as 2012 MWL All-Stars

06/05/2012 12:10 PM ET

By Mike Couzens / Fort Wayne TinCaps

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Fort Wayne TinCaps are proud to announce that four players will be headed

to the Midwest League All-Star Game on June 19, 2012. Catcher Austin Hedges will be the Eastern

Division's starting catcher, with shortstop Jace Peterson and starting pitchers Adys Portillo and Frank

Garces also making the roster.

Hedges, 19, is hitting .266 with five home runs and 25 runs batted in. The backstop, selected in the second

round of the 2011 draft by the San Diego Padres, has started 36 games behind the plate this season.

Peterson, 22, is hitting .304 with one home run and 17 runs batted in. His 18 stolen bases are tied for fifth

in the league, and his .399 on-base percentage is fifth best in the 16-team circuit. The McNeese State

product was the 58th overall pick in the 2011 draft.

Portillo, 20, is 4-2 with a 1.66 ERA in 11 starts. His earned run average is the best among starters in the

league. The righthander is holding opposing batters to a .165 batting average, good for third best in the

league. The Venezuelan-born hurler was named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for May 21st to

May 27th.

Garces, 22, is 1-3 with a 2.73 ERA. The lefty, who made his U.S. debut on April 5th against Lake

County, has struck out 52 batters in 56 innings of work.

The All-Star game will take place at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark, the home of the Kane County Cougars in

Geneva, Illinois.