Dodgers Make Dreifort Their No. 1 : Draft: They take right-handed pitcher after Mariners get shortstop Rodriguez. Angels choose left-hander Anderson.

Wichita State relief pitcher Darren Dreifort has never been to California, let alone Los Angeles. His images are not those of a Chamber of Commerce brochure.

“It seems like the only things you see (of L.A) on TV are baseball games and riots,” he said Thursday, when it became likely that he will eventually get a firsthand look.

After the Seattle Mariners had opened baseball’s amateur draft by selecting shortstop Alex Rodriguez of Miami’s Westminster Christian High, the Dodgers took Dreifort and the Angels selected left-handed pitcher Brian Anderson of Wright State.

Eighteen pitchers were selected during the first of the 17 rounds completed Thursday. Only the first-round selections are released, but this much was learned:

--The Angels focused on pitching by making right-hander Ryan Hancock of Brigham Young their second choice; prep left-hander Matt Perisho of Tempe, Ariz., their third choice, and Stanford left-hander Andrew Lorraine their fourth choice. They also selected Arizona infielder George Arias in the seventh round and Oregon State third baseman Jamie Burke in the ninth.

--The Dodgers, who owed their second-round pick to the St. Louis Cardinals as compensation for the signing of free agent Todd Worrell, selected two Arizona State players--first baseman Doug Newstrom and pitcher Dax Winslett--in unspecified rounds, and University of Miami pitcher Jose Prado in the ninth round.

--Ryan McGuire, UCLA’s power-hitting first baseman, was taken by the Boston Red Sox in the third round. Other UCLA players selected Thursday include pitcher Tim Kubinski by the Oakland A’s in the seventh round; center fielder John Myrow by the Colorado Rockies in the ninth, and third baseman Adam Melhuse by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 13th.

--Two USC players were selected, first baseman Kurt Bierek, by the New York Yankees in the sixth round, and pitcher Mike Collett, by the Mariners in the fourth.

--Loyola Marymount pitcher-first baseman Jesse Ibarra was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the fifth round.

--Three Pepperdine players were selected: pitcher Steve Duda, by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth round; center fielder Ryan Radmanovich by the Twins in the 14th, and catcher Scott Vollmer, by the Chicago White Sox in the 17th, and shortstop Eric Ekdahl by Philadelphia, also in the 17th.

In addition: A cousin of Elvis Presley, pitcher Kirk Presley of Tupelo High in Mississippi, was the eighth player picked in the first round, by the New York Mets, and a brother of San Diego Padre pitcher Andy Benes, Creighton University pitcher Alan Benes, was the 16th player selected in the first round, by the Cardinals.

There were five Cuban defectors also available in this draft, and three are known to have been selected: pitcher Ivan Alvarez, by the Cleveland Indians in the ninth round; infielder Osmani Estrada, by the Texas Rangers in the 13th, and outfielder Alexis Cabreja, also by the Rangers, in the 15th.

The Dodgers, their 99 defeats of last year resulting in their highest drafting position, might have preferred the multitalented Rodriguez, but Executive Vice President Fred Claire said his club was in a no-lose situation with either Rodriguez or Dreifort, who combines a wicked slider with a fastball that has been clocked in the mid-90s.

Neither Claire nor Dreifort, who said he was happy with his selection by the Dodgers and knows Los Angeles has more to offer than baseball and riots, would put a timetable on his arrival as a major league closer. They first have to agree on a signing bonus that could go as high as $2 million, which is expected to be the asking price for Rodriguez as well.

The Dodgers have experienced mistakes and misfortunes with pitchers selected in the first round, but scouting director Terry Reynolds said Dreifort and Rodriguez were clearly the class of the draft.

“It’s our philosophy to take the best available talent,” Reynolds said, regardless of position.

The Philadelphia Phillies, drafting fourth, also selected a relief pitcher, Wayne Gomes of Old Dominion.

Dreifort, who will appear with Wichita State in the College World Series starting today in Omaha, has a 25-5 career record with 17 saves and, as a designated hitter, a .320 batting average with 23 home runs, 20 this year.

“Those days are numbered,” he said of his designated-hitter role.

Anderson, the Angels’ top choice, was 10-1 with a 1.14 earned-run average this year. He struck out 98 in 95 innings, walking only six. Scouting director Bob Fontaine Jr. characterized Anderson as a Jimmy Key-type pitcher.

Anderson said he was pleased by his selection.

“The Angels have a lot of good young talent, and I’ve heard a lot of good things about the manager (Buck Rodgers) working with young pitchers,” he said.

Times staff writer Kevin Baxter contributed to this story.