Padres Select Two Shortstops in Regular Phase of Draft

By the time Padre shortstop Garry Templeton’s four-year contract expires in 1988, maybe Joey Cora or Mark Cole will be ready to inherit a position that up until this past winter was expected to go to Ozzie Guillen.

Guillen was traded to the Chicago White Sox in the LaMarr Hoyt deal last winter. Thus, the opening for a young shortstop in the Padre organization.

In the two rounds of the regular phase of the major league baseball draft held Monday, the Padres selected two shortstops.

Cora, the Padres’ top selection and the 23rd pick in the draft, is a 5-foot 7-inch switch-hitting shortstop/second baseman from Vanderbilt University.

The 20-year-old from Caguas, Puerto Rico hit .403 with 14 doubles, 6 triples, 7 homers and 33 RBIs in 51 games. He also stole 41 bases in 50 attempts.

“We rated Cora as the 10th-best player in the draft,” said Tom Romenesko, the Padres’ director of minor leagues and scouting.

In the second round, the Padres selected Cole, an 18-year-old 5-9 right-handed hitter from Kennedy High School in Sacramento.

Cole, a cousin of Padre infielder Jerry Royster, batted .420 in 34 games. He stole 19 bases in 20 attempts.

Padre General Manager Jack McKeon and Romenesko both said the Padres went for the best athletes available, and said it was just a coincidence that their top two picks were shortstops.

In the secondary phase, the Padres selected 21-year-old 6-5 right-handed pitcher Tony Faryniarz from Sacramento City College and 19-year-old 6-3 left-hander Alfonso Osuna from Cerritos Junior College.

The secondary phase includes players who have been selected within the past 13 months, but have not signed.

The drafting of regular-phase players resumes today.