The Bucs Pick Arizona SS Kevin Newman #1

The Bucs picked Arizona's junior SS Kevin Newman, 21, with their first selection (#19). The Pirates were in the ballpark with this pick as he was a top-25 to 30 guy on most boards, though his name wasn't associated with Pittsburgh by the mock draft gang. He hit .370 for the Wildcats, and was All-PAC for three straight seasons.

He has a rep as a pure hitter who's tough to whiff with good speed & range, tho time will tell if he has the arm to stay at short. He won the Cape Cod batting title twice (the league's only back-to-back winner), but he has no power to speak of. Some scouting reports say that's because he has such a wide stance and closing it up should unlock at least some gap power. Newman plays the game hard ("scrappy" comes up a lot) and is considered a smart ballplayer and team leader type.

He's the second straight SS the Pirates have taken #1 (Cole Tucker was selected last year, #24 overall) and the fifth taken in the draft, which was particularly deep at the position this year.

Kevin Newman (photo - Arizona Athletics)

• OF Ian Happ of Mt. Lebanon HS and the U of Cincinnati was taken ninth by the Cubs. He's the first first-round pick to come out of Cincy, Josh Harrison's alma mater.