Mini-Camp Prompts Padres to Draft 3 Area Players

It was dubbed a mini-camp by those who participated in the tryouts last weekend at Jack Murphy Stadium. Perhaps, for a trio of area ballplayers, the spelling should be changed to many -camp.

Two high school pitchers from Ventura County were drafted by the San Diego Padres in the late rounds after they took part in the club’s tryout sessions, which ran Friday through Sunday. Another area player who participated in the camp was chosen in an undisclosed round by San Diego.

Selected by the Padres were Westlake High’s Scott Singleton and Royal’s Matt Goebel. Both are right-handers.

Singleton (6-foot-6, 180 pounds) was 3-2 for Westlake and posted an earned-run average of 2.26. He struck out 27 in 34 innings.

Goebel was Royal’s No. 2 starter for much of the season but emerged as a draft candidate with a strong second half. Goebel (6-2, 170) was 8-3 with an 3.28 ERA. He appeared in 14 games and pitched 63 2/3 innings.

Five players from the Westlake-Royal American Legion team have been drafted: Singleton, Goebel, Royal shortstop Dave Landaker (Houston Astros), Westlake pitcher John Snyder (Angels) and Westlake first baseman Rico Lagattuta (Padres).

Lagattuta also participated in the San Diego mini-camp.

First baseman Andy Martin of The Master’s College was drafted in the 30th round by the St. Louis Cardinals, Master’s Coach Chris Harrison said.

Martin, a junior, batted .324 with 13 doubles, 12 home runs and 41 runs batted in. He was named to the honorable-mention All-American team of the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics.