Hochevar Can Now Be Royals’ Pain

This was the easy part. The Kansas City Royals selected Luke Hochevar with the first pick in Tuesday’s amateur baseball draft, 39 spots above where the Dodgers had taken the right-hander from the University of Tennessee one year ago.

Now the Royals must try to sign Hochevar, a potentially worrisome proposition considering the prospect’s holdout history and the fact that agent Scott Boras said he would seek a contract similar to the $5.25 million that Mike Pelphrey received from the New York Mets as the top college pitcher selected in last year’s draft.

“His value has risen to where he was really the best pitcher in this draft,” Boras said of Hochevar. “Last year coming out I’m not sure you could say that.”

The Dodgers had selected Hochevar with the 40th overall pick last year but were unwilling to meet his demand for $4 million. Hochevar said in a conference call with reporters Tuesday that he believed negotiations with the Royals would result in a deal.

“It should be a pretty quick negotiation,” Hochevar said. “I would imagine that it sounds like the Royals are ready to get it done and get me out playing.”

Said Boras: “I think the Royals understand that we felt Luke would receive a top college pitcher contract.”

Being selected No. 1 overall affirmed that his decision to shun the Dodgers had been the right move, Hochevar said.

“Scott had a plan in this, and his master plan definitely worked,” Hochevar said. “It was tough through it -- you go through it and you fight it -- but when it all comes down to it, Scott has a plan for you, and he definitely worked a miracle in my case.”

Signability wasn’t a concern for Long Beach State third baseman Evan Longoria, who reached an agreement on a $3-million, minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays shortly after they made him the third overall selection.

Longoria, a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award as the college baseball player of the year after hitting .353 with 11 home runs and 43 runs batted in for the 49ers, called his signing “a big deal because I want to get out and play as soon as possible.”

The Big West Conference co-player of the year said he would probably begin his career with the Devil Rays’ Class-A affiliate and hoped to be playing in the major leagues within two years.

One major league scout said he envisioned Longoria in the mold of Chicago White Sox third baseman Joe Crede and projected Longoria as someone capable of hitting 20 to 30 home runs a season once he reached the major leagues. His ability to play every infield position except first base could lead to a swift ascent.

“I’m probably best suited to play third base just because I’ve played there so much, but I think my skills will allow me to play anywhere Tampa needs me to,” Longoria said.

The Minnesota Twins made another versatile prospect, Chino Hills High first baseman/outfielder Chris Parmelee, the top Southland prep player drafted when they selected him 20th overall. The New York Yankees picked USC junior right-hander Ian Kennedy 21st despite a disappointing season for the Trojans, and the Angels took Huntington Beach High catcher Hank Conger with the 25th pick.

The Cleveland Indians selected UCLA junior left-hander Dave Huff 39th as a so-called sandwich pick between the first and second rounds.

The Dodgers used their first-round picks on a pair of pitchers, selecting Dallas Highland Park High left-hander Clayton Kershaw seventh overall and Motlow State (Tenn.) College right-hander Bryan Morris 26th.

Hochevar had stayed in playing shape in recent weeks by pitching for the Forth Worth Cats of the independent Central Baseball League. He went 1-1 with a 2.38 earned-run average in four starts before recently leaving the team to work out on his own in Knoxville, Tenn.

The Dodgers scouted those games but made no attempt to sign Hochevar in the weeks before the draft.

“When we drafted Luke we knew there was a chance we wouldn’t get a deal done,” Dodgers scouting director Logan White said. “It didn’t work out, and we wish Luke the best with the Royals.”

The 22-year-old said he had learned several lessons throughout his negotiations with the Dodgers, especially in the wake of a whirlwind seven-hour period in September in which he switched representatives, accepted a $2.98-million bonus and signed a term sheet, only to renege on the deal and return to Boras.

“I guess I could advise younger players not to believe the young, inexperienced agents who make salesman pitches and try to get players by telling them they can do stuff for them,” Hochevar said. “The way that Scott handles things is extremely professional. He is, by far, the best in the business.”