| Padres Begin Signing 2007 Draft Picks |
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| Written by Pedro Serrano - KXO Radio | |
| Sunday, 24 June 2007 | |
 (KXO) San Diego, CA - The San Diego Padres announced today that the club has signed outfielder Kellen Kulbacki, the team's first pick in the compensation round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. San Diego also signed outfielder Bradley Chalk, the club's second selection in the second round. Additionally, the Padres have agreed to terms with left-handed pitcher Cory Luebke, selected with the team's fourth pick in the compensation round of this year's Draft.
Vice President of Scouting & Player Development Grady Fuson and Director of Scouting Bill Gayton made the announcements. Kulbacki, the 40th overall pick in the draft out of James Madison University, hit .398 (76-for-191) with 15 doubles, 19 home runs, 49 RBI and 56 runs scored in 53 games for the Dukes in 2007. The 5-11, 185-pound junior earned Co-Player of the Year honors in the Colonial Athletic Association after leading the league with a .785 slugging percentage, a .538 on-base percentage and a school single-season record 56 walks. Kulbacki, 21, was selected as a First-Team All-American by Baseball America, Rivals.com, Ping!Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. A native of Palmyra, PA, Kulbacki was also named an All-American after his sophomore season, earning first-team honors from all six major publications in 2006 and being selected as Collegiate Baseball's National Co-Player of the Year. The 21-year-old Chalk was taken with the 87th overall pick out of Clemson University. A junior outfielder from Greer, SC, Chalk batted .366 (59-for-161) with 10 doubles, two triples, 18 RBI, 26 runs scored and nine stolen bases in 45 games for the Tigers this season. Chalk garnered second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors in 2007 and is a two-time member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll. A career.360 hitter at Clemson, he led the Tigers this season in batting average and on-base percentage (.483). Luebke, the 63rd overall pick out of the Ohio State University, went 9-1 with a 2.07 ERA (27 ER/117.2 IP) in 16 starts for the Buckeyes in 2007. The 6-4, 200-pound left-hander led the Big Ten Conference in wins, ERA, strikeouts (98), opponents batting average against (.213) and innings pitched. A junior from Maria Stein, OH, Luebke was selected to the 2007 American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings All-America third team. He was also named 2007 Big Ten Conference Pitcher of the Year and the Most Outstanding Player of the Big Ten Tournament. Additionally, Luebke, 22, garnered first-team All-Mideast Region honors and was a unanimous first-team All-Conference selection. |
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