Evansville’s Benes Expected to Be Top Pick in Draft

Baseball’s amateur draft, a three-day process, begins today with the San Diego Padres having the No. 1 selection and Southern California players figuring to have a prominent role.

The Padres--who have had little success with previous top choices Mike Ivie, Dave Roberts and Bill Almon--will take pitcher Andy Benes from Evansville University, according to a club source. The Cleveland Indians pick second and are said to be leaning toward high school shortstop Mark Lewis from Hamilton, Ohio.

The Atlanta Braves have the No. 3 choice, followed by the Baltimore Orioles and then the Dodgers. The Angels pick eighth.

According to Baseball America, which has correctly named the No. 1 selection each of the last five June drafts, Bill Bene, a 6-foot 4-inch pitcher from Cal State Los Angeles, will go among the first 10 picks. The publication also rates shortstop Royce Clayton from St. Bernard High School in Playa del Rey, catcher Greg Pirkl from Los Alamitos, outfielder Aman Hicks from Gardena and pitcher Scott Davison from Redondo among the top 60, tabbing Clayton as the third high school player to go in the nation.

Last year, the first three picks were high school players. The No. 4 selection, by the Chicago Cubs, was Cal State Fullerton pitcher Mike Harkey, who is in double A.

Only first-round selections will be made public today. The remainder of the draft will be announced next Friday, a week after it ends, and then only alphabetically by team.