J.P. Padron  •  Third Base/First Base  •  LSU

Talented, power-hitting freshman prospect from the state of Texas ... a strong contender to see plenty of time in the infield for the Tigers in 2005 ... the 12th-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft ... had a superb fall intrasquad season, batting .358 with a homer and 11 RBI.

High School: A four year letter winner in baseball and a three year letter winner in football at Clear Creek HIgh School...consensus all-county and all-district selection...2001 all-district 24-5 newcomer of the year...selected to the 2003 Nike All-Star team at the Area Code games in Long Beach, California which selects the top 150 best juniors and sophomores in the country...identified by Baseball America as Texas' best "raw power" hitter at the Area Code games...pre-season All Greater Houston selection in 2004... all-county and all-district selection as the starting quarterback, punter, and kicker on the football team...member of 2001-02 district 24-5A championship football team...selected as the school's MVP for football and baseball in 2004...represented school at Texas Boys' State.

Personal: Full name is Juan Antonio Padron ... parents are James and Petra Smith ... Has one older sister, Jenieva ... hobbies include weightlifting, golf and drawing ... chose to attend LSU because of "the commitment the coaching staff made to me as a player and the tradition and quality education" ... credits his father with having the biggest influence upon his athletic career since the age of four ... plans to major in business administration at LSU ... born February 14, 1986.