The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Reds take pitcher from Arizona St. in 1st round

Right-hander one of the best pitchers in the Pac-10 Conference.

The Cincinnati Reds selected Arizona State pitcher Mike Leake, seen here following through on a pitch against Clemson during the fourth inning of an NCAA college baseball super regional tournament game on Saturday, June 6, 2009, with their first pick (8th overall) of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft.

AP photo by Matt York The Cincinnati Reds selected Arizona State pitcher Mike Leake, seen here following through on a pitch against Clemson during the fourth inning of an NCAA college baseball super regional tournament game on Saturday, June 6, 2009, with their first pick (8th overall) of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Report: Ohio State needs ethics office
3:08 p.m.
Blue-chip receiver considering OSU
2/9/12
RedHawks’ night ruined by rally
2/9/12
Sports in Brief
2/9/12
Prep results, schedule
2/9/12
> More sports headlines

Staff reports Updated 1:29 AM Wednesday, June 10, 2009

CINCINNATI — For the first time in five years, pitching was the Cincinnati Reds’ top draft priority.

The Reds made Arizona State right-hander Mike Leake their No. 1 pick and the eighth overall choice in baseball’s amateur draft on Tuesday, June 9.

“He’s a very polished college pitcher,” Cincinnati senior director of scouting Chris Buckley said. “He’s got four pitches, and his numbers are off the chart.”

Leake, a 21-year-old junior, is 16-1 with a 1.36 ERA in 17 games — including 16 starts — for the Sun Devils, who are scheduled to face North Carolina in the first round of the College World Series on Sunday in Omaha, Neb.

The 6-foot, 180-pounder has 150 strikeouts and just 21 walks in 132 2/3 innings, but he doesn’t consider himself to be overpowering.

“I’m a ground-ball pitcher,” Leake said. “When I get ground balls, I know I’m doing well. That’s what I can do, when I can work down in the zone.”

He believes pitching against opponents wielding wooden bats instead of aluminum might make him more effective.

“I don’t think it will be that much of a transition,” he said. “I think it might be a little bit easier, because I’m kind of a wooden bat pitcher. I like to work inside and break bats. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but it’ll be fun to throw some wood in the fire.”

Leake’s fastball usually is in the high 80s (mph), but he can reach 94 mph, Buckley said. He also throws a slider, curve and changeup.

“He’s a very good college player,” Buckley said. “He hit the ground running. He’s a big ground-ball pitcher. He’s an outstanding fielder. He’s got a great pick-off move. He’s low maintenance.”

Leake was a seventh-round pick by Oakland out of Fallbrook High School in California in 2006, but he chose Arizona State. He played three other sports in high school. Baseball America ranked Leake ninth among right-handed pitchers available for this year’s draft.

Buckley wasn’t prepared to comment on the team’s ability to sign Leake.

“He pitched his team into the College World Series, so there’s nothing we can do for a while,” Buckley said.

“The sooner we can get it done, the better,” Leake said. “We can build a better relationship that way, instead of going back and forth.”

The Reds also wouldn’t necessarily hurry him along, Buckley said.

Leake is the first pitcher picked No. 1 by the Reds since high school senior Homer Bailey in 2004. The last college pitcher chosen by the Reds with their top pick was Rice’s Ryan Wagner in 2003.