2.59 San Diego Padres - Jedd Gyorko, 2B, West Virginia

The Padres spent the 59th overall pick on Jedd Gyorko.

Follow the jump for his pre-draft report.

Jedd Gyorko   Position: SS   School: West Virginia   State: WV   Year: Jr.   Height: 5’10’’   Weight: 195

Bats: R   Throws: R   Birth Date: 9/23/88   Seiler Rating: 1C3   Last Drafted: Never

Jedd Gyorko is a hard-hitting middle infielder from West Virginia University. Gyorko originally came to WVU from University High School in Morgantown, West Virginia, where the WVU campus is located. It was a natural transition to start playing for the Mountaineers, having gotten so little scouting attention that he was largely an unknown when he shocked the nation by hitting over .400 in back-to-back years. He followed an excellent sophomore season with a great summer on the Cape, where he simply justified the attention that he had been getting from average baseball fans all over the country. Though his overall tools are somewhat limited, his bat is considered one of the best in the country for production and future promise, so he’s likely to be a starter at the next level. Where he starts is up for debate, but his bat will take him places. At the plate, he’s a plus hitter with average power, and he could easily be a perennial .300 hitter with 35 doubles and 15-20 home runs during his prime. He’s a below-average runner, however, which limits him both offensively and defensively. He’s currently a shortstop, but he’s going to move off that position, and the final result could be him playing at second base, third base, or even left field. His range would be slightly below-average at second, but with an average arm and steady hands, he has a shot to stick there. Third base or left field might be more likely in the long-term, but his offense would be at less of a premium at those spots. He should go somewhere from the late first round into the second round, and should sign fairly quickly for slot money.