St Kilda has used its second pick in the 2016 NAB AFL Draft to recruit Dandenong Stingrays forward Josh Battle with selection No. 39 in Sydney on Friday night.

Regarded as one of the best key forwards in this year’s draft pool, Battle kicked the most goals of any division one player at the under-18 national championships, finishing with 11 majors in four games for Vic Country.

The 192cm spearhead was also prolific in front of goal at TAC Cup level, booting 24.13 across eight games.

Battle was a standout performer in his positional group at the Draft Combine in October, demonstrating his elite endurance by running a 10:07 3km time-trial and reaching 13.7 in the Beep Test. He also won the 3km test at the AFL Academy camp in January.

Due to his size and athleticism, Battle has been likened to Hawthorn star forward Jack Gunston. He finished the TAC Cup season with an impressive conversion rate of 69 per cent in front of goal.

A six goal performance in Dandenong’s finals campaign confirmed Battle’s status as one of the premier key forwards in this year’s draft class.

The Haileybury College product joins a swarm of Stingrays at Linen House Centre, with the Saints recruiting two players from that program in last year's National Draft - Brandon White and Bailey Rice.