Kurt Suzuki

A native of Wailuku, Hawaii, Suzuki enrolled at Cal State Fullerton in 2001 as a recruited walk-on. He'll leave as a possible sandwich pick. Most clubs see the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder anywhere from a second- to sixth-round talent, but he's been one of the hottest hitters in the country this season and teams have paid close attention. He was batting .438-13-74, all team-leading totals, and his 43-23 walk-strikeout ratio makes him a prime target for a "Moneyball" team like Oakland, which has four picks before the start of the second round. Suzuki is a personal favorite of A's general manager Billy Beane. He routinely has good at-bats and rarely gets cheated at the plate. He's a solid defender and is particularly skilled at blocking balls. A quick release compensates for average arm strength. He also plays with a lot of energy.