Boston tabbed Jason Neighborgall in the seventh round. (Courtesy Walt Unks/The Herald-Sun)

And there aren't any top-of-the-line pitching prospects in their minor league system either. With that in mind, it's hardly shocking that the Red Sox used 24 of their 49 selections in the First-Year Player Draft on pitchers.

However, it isn't as if David Chadd, director of amateur scouting for the Red Sox, planned to take so many pitchers. It just sort of turned out that way.

"The pitchers we took just happened to be the best guys available at that time," said Chadd following the two-day draft, which concluded late Wednesday afternoon, "We got three left-handed pitchers in the first 10 rounds, you can never have enough pitching."

The Red Sox, who didn't have the benefit of a first-round selection, also took eight catchers, six shortstops and seven outfielders.

Chadd was hired by the Red Sox in March, after the team's ownership switched hands, and this was his first time running a draft. He was pleased with the results.

"I thought we were well prepared and organized as a group," said Chadd, who was part of a highly successful scouting operation in Florida before joining the Red Sox. "We took enough time preparing prior to the draft to get comfortable. I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out."

He will be even happier if the Sox can reach an agreement with fireball pitcher Jason Neighborgall, rated the fifth best prospect in the country by Baseball America leading into the draft. Neighborgall, a client of Scott Boras, slipped all the way to the seventh round.

When you combine his stuff, the fact he is represented by the shrewd Boras, and his scholarship to Georgia Tech, it is obvious he will be a tough sign.

		JUNE 4-5 | NEW YORK CITY Draft order | Rules | FAQ FULL COVERAGE: • Bullington goes first • Drafttracker • Complete Draft coverage Round-by-round audio Round 1 Rounds 2-5 Rounds 6-10 Rounds 11-15 Rounds 16-20 Rounds 21-22 Rounds 23-27 Rounds 28-32 Rounds 33-37 Rounds 38-42 Rounds 43-50

But the Red Sox are looking forward to the challenge. Chadd has already spoken to a representative of Boras.

"We had a good conversation," said Chadd. "We knew what we were getting into, we feel great about his ability, both sides will try and work, I don't foresee it to be a quick signing. But we'll do everything in our power to get him in a Red Sox uniform."

They will be just as eager to sign left-hander Jonathan Lester, who they took with their first pick (57th overall). Lester has a scholarship at Arizona State, but said Tuesday signing with the Red Sox is his first priority.

"I don't know why he slipped," said Chadd. "but we're lucky and happy that he did."

Chadd was also excited about the crop of position players he drafted.

"(Scott) White is a terrific prospect," said Chadd. "(Charles) Spann is an offensive player. Alberto Concepcion is an exceptional talent, to be able to get him in the 21st round, we're very happy."

	RED SOX 2002 DRAFT PICKS
	57	JONATHAN T LESTER	LHP	BELLARMINE PREP
	88	SCOTT A WHITE	3B	WALTON HS
	118	CHRISTOPHER M SMITH	RHP	U CALIFORNIA
	148	CHARLES J SPANN	SS	SOUTHLAND ACADEMY
	178	GARY B BROWNING	LHP	WAYNE COUNTY HS
	208	JASON B NEIGHBORGALL	RHP	RIVERSIDE HS
	238	BRANDON D MOSS	SS	LOGANVILLE HS
	268	TYLER W PELLAND	LHP	MOUNT ABRAHAM HS
	298	GREGORY R STONE	SS	BACONE COL
	328	MICHAEL J GOSS	LF	JACKSON ST U
	358	DUSTIN MAJEWSKI	CF	U TEXAS
	388	CLAY S STONE	RHP	RUSTON HS
	418	JOHN A PRIOLA	RHP	FAULKNER U
	448	IAN CRONKHITE	CF	WESTMOORE HS
	478	PETER J CIOFRONE	SS	SMITHTOWN HS
	508	ARIAN ALCALA	3B	ST THOMAS U
	538	ROBERT B SMITH	RHP	SOUTHEAST MISSOURI ST U
	568	THOMAS J MACLANE	LHP	FLORIDA ATLANTIC U
	598	LUIS L VILLARREAL	LHP	NORTHWOOD U
	628	ALBERTO CONCEPCION	C	U SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
	658	JOHN T ANDERSON	RHP	ARKANSAS STATE U
	688	DAVID T PAHUCKI	RHP	SIENA COL
	718	PATRICK M BORAN	SS	PRINCETON U
	748	JAMES W BUCKLEY	C	SIENA COL
	778	ADAM K DAVIS	RHP	METTER HS
	808	MICHAEL A ARMSTRONG	RF	CHABOT COL
	838	MICHAEL BARCLAY	CF	U SOUTH FLORIDA
	868	MATTHEW R CLARKSON	C	BROKEN ARROW SR HS
	898	JONATHAN C WILLIAMS	RHP	OPELIKA HS
	928	STEVEN C BOGGS	CF	SAN DIEGO HS
	958	BROCK N HUNTON	RHP	DUBLIN COFFMAN HS
	988	LUKE C TAYLOR	RHP	LOWNDES HS
	1018	MITCHELL S WOOLF	RHP	MADISON HS
	1048	JOSE L VAQUEDANO	RHP	VERNON REGIONAL JC
	1078	DON E POWERS	RHP	SHAWNEE HS
	1108	RICARDO ROMERO	LHP	THEODORE ROOSEVELT HS
	1138	KOLEY G KOLBERG	RHP	NAVARRO COL
	1168	TYLER A JACOBSON	RHP	AUBURN RIVERSIDE HS
	1198	DUSTIN RODDY	C	NE TEXAS JC
	1228	MATTHEW I INOUYE	C	MID PACIFIC INSTITUTE
	1258	ROSALINO VALENZUELA	RHP	MARCOS DE NIZA HS
	1287	LANCE M SCHARTZ	C	GARDEN CITY CC
	1315	DAVID C BAKER	C	ROGERS HS
	1342	BRIAN P BANNISTER	RHP	U SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
	1369	DOUGLAS W HARRIS	LHP	LONE OAK HS
	1395	ANTHONY BIANUCCI	CF	DAYTONA BEACH CC
	1421	SERGIO ROMAN	C	ALLEN COUNTY CC
	1447	ROBERT A CARUSO	1B	CHAMINADE MADONNA COL PRE
	1471	SETH T DHAENENS	SS	MOUNTAIN POINTE HS

Ian Browne, who covers the Red Sox for MLB.com, can be reached at Ian.Browne@mlb.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or any of its clubs.