Padres Select University of British Columbia LHP Mark Hardy in 43rd Round of 2010 MLB Draft

The Padres went back to the Canadian pitching ranks to nab University of British Columbia lefty Mark Hardy in the 43rd round, eight rounds after selecting British Columbian high school righty Michael Ellis.

Hardy’s a big 6’4″ lefty.

Let’s see how many cliches I can use to describe him.

He’s “not overpowering.”

“A crafty lefty.”

“Knows how to pitch.”

“Throws downhill.”

Yeah, all that good stuff.

Hardy, 22, posted a 3.77 ERA as a senior, striking out 68 and walking 23 in 76 1/3 innings.

The Padres want to see if they can turn him into a lefty specialist, as he’s said to have some deception in his delivery.

Given the lack of quality of his competition and the relative mediocrity of his numbers, I can’t say I’m in love with this pick, but I don’t pretend to be the most informed source out there…and it’s a 43rd-round pick. You expect these guys to perform poorly, and hope that occasionally one works out.