The Cincinnati Reds continued to retrace their steps as the 2002 first-year player draft concluded Wednesday.

A day earlier, the Reds took University of Texas-San Antonio third baseman Mark Schramek, their 45th-round selection last year, with their "sandwich" pick after the first round (No. 40 overall). Cincinnati began Wednesday by selecting left-hander Nick Markakis from Young Harris College in Woodstock, Ga., in the 23rd round. This was the same Markakis who the Reds grabbed in last year's 35th round but didn't sign.

"Last year he was almost like a high school junior. He wasn't ready to go out and play. But he made great strides," Reds scouting director Kasey McKeon said.

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The Reds followed another time-honored practice by looking into their own backyard. They grabbed right-hander Shawn Aichele in the 37th round out of Western Hills High School, the same school that produced Cincinnati legend Pete Rose.

"Grant Griesser (assistant director of player development) had a lot of information on him," McKeon said of Aichele. "He has the option of junior college, but we'd like to sign him. He's a competitor on the mound."

Of the 51 players the Reds selected, 27 were pitchers (21 righties, six lefties), 13 were infielders, eight were outfielders and three were catchers.

With Cincinnati's minor league teams thriving and reaping the benefits of personnel depth the organization hasn't enjoyed in decades, the need to draft players who can contribute immediately wasn't as great. Instead, the Reds selected a large number of players who they'll follow through the summer and 2003 amateur season. Then Cincinnati will decide whether these players are worth signing before next year's draft.

Nevertheless, said McKeon, "You're still wanting to get the best players."

Chris Haft covers the Reds for MLB.com and can be reached at haftkeem@aol.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

	REDS 2002 DRAFT PICKS
	3	CHRISTOPHER R GRULER	RHP	LIBERTY UNION HS
	40	MARK E SCHRAMEK	RHP	U TEXAS
	44	JOSEPH D VOTTO	C	RICHVIEW COLLEGIATE INSTI
	75	KYLE O EDENS	RHP	BAYLOR U
	105	CAMILO T VAZQUEZ	LHP	HIALEAH SENIOR HS
	135	KEVIN C HOWARD	3B	U MIAMI
	165	WALTER H OLMSTEAD	1B	TEXAS CHRISTIAN U
	195	COREY G WACHMAN	RHP	VALDOSTA ST U
	225	OCFUSKE J KING	RHP	NORTHWESTERN ST U
	255	STEVEN W BOOTH	C	U SAN FRANCISCO
	285	FRANKIE L KELLER	LHP	ABILENE CHRISTIAN U
	315	MICHAEL H BASSETT	OF	GEORGE WASHINGTON U
	345	DONALD S GEMMELL	RHP	SAN JOSE ST U
	375	JOSE E CRUZ	SS	RICE U
	405	PATRICK J CURRAN	LHP	FORT HAYS ST U
	435	CHRISTOPHER G KAMIS	RHP	ELGIN CC
	465	JONATHAN R GEORGE	RHP	CAMDEN CATHOLIC HS
	495	BEN E LAVENDER	C	PELHAM HS
	525	ZACHARIAH E MCCORMACK	LHP	SACRAMENTO CC
	555	CHRISTOPHER A DENORFIA	CF	WHEATON COL
	585	DOUGLAS T COON	LHP	SILVERADO HS
	615	MICHAEL D CAUSEY	RHP	MOORPARK COL
	645	MATTHEW C LUCA	RHP	BALL HS
	675	NICHOLAS W MARKAKIS	LHP	YOUNG HARRIS COL
	705	JARROD S SCHMIDT	C RHP	CLEMSON U
	735	ROBERT MOSBY	1B	NORTHEASTERN OK A&M
	765	CHRISTOPHER A DUNN	SS	CHAPARRAL HS
	795	JUAN L VELAZQUEZ	RHP	MONTGOMERY HS
	825	JAY C TUST	2B	STADIUM HS
	855	RICHARD B CORRELL	SS	LIMESTONE COL
	885	JUSTIN W KNOFF	RHP	SIENA COL
	915	MAYQUE QUINTERO	RHP	NO SCHOOL
	945	GERALD B SMITH	RF	THOMAS JEFFERSON HS
	975	BARTON L BRAUN	LHP	DIABLO VALLEY
	1005	CODY R MCALLISTER	RHP	SNOHOMISH HS
	1035	STANTREL SMITH	CF	TOWERS HS
	1065	MATT KRIMMEL	3B	GEORGE WASHINGTON U
	1095	SHAWN A AICHELE	RHP	WESTERN HILLS HS
	1125	HARDY L HUTTO	RHP	GARDEN CITY CC
	1155	CALVIN D MEDLOCK	RHP	WESTBURY HS
	1185	CHRISTOPHER BELL	RHP	MIAMI DADE NORTH JC
	1215	MARCUS B TOWNSEND	RF	U TEXAS
	1245	DANIEL T KELLY	SS	DURANGO HS
	1275	DEREK HAWK	RHP	MENDOCINO CC
	1303	JASON D BACA	RHP	SWEENY HS
	1331	DENNIS P LEDUC	RHP	CUESTA COL
	1358	TROY M CAIRNS	SS	U NEW MEXICO
	1384	MICHAEL A BRYANT	RHP	SAM RAYBURN HS
	1410	TRAVIS K WONG	1B	TEXAS A&M
	1436	WILLIAM A DENNIS	CF	INCARNATE WARD U
	1460	BENJAMIN B HIMES	RF	TEXAS A&M