The San Diego Padres took on George Kottaras when they selected him as a draft-and-follow in the 20th round of the June 2002 draft. They can only hope that their other, similar gambles turn out so well.
Kottaras didn't play high school baseball. His Canadian school, Milliken Mills located in Markham, Ontario, didn't offer the sport. Unlike the Orioles Erik Bedard (See Story), whose father could drive the future phenom into the United States several times a month, Kottaras could only compete in the summer until he was 18.
Now 23 and playing for the Triple-A Portland Beavers, Kottaras is the catcher of the future for the San Diego Padres.
Like John Olerud, the player he emulated offensively when he first learned the game, Kottaras is adept at pitch selection.
In 2004 at Single-A Fort Wayne, Kottaras hit .310 with 7 home runs and 46 RBI while walking 51 times in 78 games. He walked 69 times a year ago, splitting between Single-A Lake Elsinore and Double-A Mobile, and was hitting .276 with 8 home runs and 33 RBI with 50 walks through 78 games at Mobile this season.
Promoted to Portland in early July, Kottaras had a double and a home run for the World team in the Futures Game on July 9 but is in the process of making the adjustment to Triple-A pitching. Through nine games with the Beavers, the 2004 representative of Greece's Olympic baseball team was hitting .242 with 1 home run and 7 RBI.
Defensive scouting reports on Kottaras have been mixed.
We project his arrival in San Diego likely won't be until late next season or in 2008. San Diego has had success with its catching trio of Mike Piazza, Josh Bard and Rob Bowen this season. Piazza is a name draw and a big bat, but he has always been a middling defensive catcher, and he has a history both with the Dodgers and the Mets of underperforming in the final stretch of a season and in NLCS competition. His move to first has been a long-running rumor dogging his career, but as he gets older, if he stays in the Padres organization and Kottaras can have a banner 2007 season, it may give the front office food for thought.
- Jarod ULREY
