If the Reds were fortunate to have one of the first three picks in the upcoming amateur draft, general manager Jim Bowden knows exactly whom the club would pick.
But with the 14th overall pick in the June 3-5 draft, the decision becomes more complicated.
Cincinnati continues to narrow its list of potential selections.
"I think in an ideal world, our first pick would be a college pitcher that could come to the big leagues quick," Bowden said.
"Our second goal, if we couldn't get that, would be to get the best bat available to try and draft another (Austin) Kearns or (Adam) Dunn type of guy."
Cincinnati's list of possible picks includes six high school players - three infielders, one outfielder and two pitchers - and three college pitchers. All nine are ranked among the top 37 prospects by Baseball America.
"We'll get a pretty good player with that first pick," Bowden said. "I'm sure of it."
If college pitching is what the Reds are after, the three they're focusing on are all good ones.
Wake Forest junior right-hander Kyle Sleeth was 7-3 with a 2.81 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 14 games. He is rated as the third-best pitching prospect and sixth overall.
Richmond junior right-hander Tim Stauffer, rated No. 10 overall, was 9-4 with a 1.97 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 14 games.
Mississippi State junior left-hander Paul Maholm, ranked No. 17 overall, was 8-2 with a 2.67 ERA through 14 games.
The Reds haven't taken a college player with their first selection since Brandon Larson went 14th in 1997. They've picked 11 pitchers - eight high school, three college - in the first five rounds of the last three drafts. Last year's top pick (third overall), right-hander Chris Gruler, is out for the rest of this season rehabilitating from April shoulder surgery.
"I think our preference would be not to draft a high school pitcher unless he was far better than anyone else available at our slot," Bowden said. "Our philosophy is to take the best player available when it's our time to select."
A look ahead
Among the players the Reds are looking at as prospective picks in the June 3-5 amateur draft are these six high school and three collegiate players.
High school
RANK*
PLAYER
POS
SCHOOL (HOMETOWN)
HT-WT
B-T
STATS
No. 5
Jeff Allison
P
Veterans Memorial (Peabody, Mass.)
6-2, 195
R-R
7-0, 0.00 ERA, 118 K, 9 BB
No. 7
Lastings Milledge
OF
Lakewood Ranch (Palmetto, Fla.)
6-1, 185
R-R
.414, 10 HR, 43 SB
No. 11
John Danks
P
Round Rock (Round Rock, Texas)
6-2, 175
L-L
8-1, 1.36 ERA, 135 K, 22 BB
No. 14
Ian Stewart
3B
La Quinta (Garden Grove, Calif.)
6-3, 195
L-R
.487, 15 HR, 60 RBI
No. 23
Eric Duncan
3B
Seton Hall Prep (Florham Park, N.J.)
6-2, 195
L-R
.533, 9 HR, 50 RBI, 16 SB
No. 37
Miguel Vega
3B
Carmen B. Huyke (Arroyo, P.R.)
6-3, 207
R-R
No stats available.
College
RANK*
PLAYER
POS
SCHOOL (HOMETOWN)
HT-WT
B-T
STATS
No. 6
Kyle Sleeth
P
Wake Forest (Westminster, Colo.)
6-5, 185
R-R
7-3, 2.81 ERA, 102 K, 29 BB, 96 IP
No. 10
Tim Stauffer
P
Richmond (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.)
6-2, 205
R-R
9-4, 1.97 ERA, 135 K, 16 BB, 106 IP
No. 17
Paul Maholm
P
Mississippi St. (Holly Springs, Miss.)
6-3, 214
L-L
8-2, 2.67 ERA, 95 K, 37 BB
*By Baseball America
Information from Baseball America was used in compiling this report.
