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Red Sox's Trey Ball: Experimenting in two-way role
Ball reported to spring training Monday preparing to work out for the Red Sox as both a pitcher and outfielder, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
Boston tabbed Ball with the seventh overall pick in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft with the hope the high school hurler would eventually become a mainstay in the big-league rotation. The 24-year-old has since had a slow climb up the minor-league ladder and has repeated the Double-A level the past two seasons, accruing a 6.06 ERA and 159:93 K:BB across 190 innings. It appears the Red Sox aren't completely abandoning the idea of developing Ball as a pitcher, but given his ugly results in that capacity, moving to the outfield might represent just as viable of a path to the majors. The 6-foot-6 Ball was a well-regarded position prospect coming out of high school and has enough athleticism to cut it defensively in the outfield if his bat warrants the playing time.
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Red Sox's Trey Ball: Could transition to field
Ball could be converted into an outfielder moving forward, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
A first-round pick (seventh overall) in 2013, Ball has a 5.02 ERA over six minor-league seasons, the first five of which were as a starter. He was converted to relief for 2018 and fared even worse, checking in with a 7.58 ERA. A two-way player in high school, Ball appeared in two games as the designated hitter for Double-A Portland this season, going 1-for-9 with a double, an RBI and six strikeouts. Vice president of player development Ben Crockett said the Red Sox are in the exploratory phase and has not mapped out a plan for Ball in 2019, although it's clear he no longer looks like a prospect on the mound. Alex Speier of the Boston Globe was the first to report this.
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Red Sox's Trey Ball: Moving to relief role
Ball will begin the 2018 season in Double-A Portland's bullpen, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
Ball acted primarily as a starter for the Sea Dogs last season, but he could only muster a 5.27 ERA in 124.2 innings pitched. The organization seems eager to see how his results will change in a new role with shorter appearances. Ball hasn't struck out many batters in his professional career, but perhaps that will change now that he doesn't have to stretch himself across more than a few innings.
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Red Sox's Trey Ball: In dominant stretch
Ball has allowed only two earned runs over his last three starts, spanning 19.1 innings, for High-A Salem. Overall, the left-hander has a 2.29 ERA with a .220 opponent batting average in 11 starts.
Boston's first-round draft pick in 2013 is repeating at High-A and is enjoying a fine bounce-back season, though we should expect to see improvement out of a pitcher who's repeating a level. His command is still spotty (4.42 BB/9), but Ball has been able to dramatically reduce the number of home runs allowed, from 1.11 HR/9 last season to 0.30 in 2016. We've seen stretches of a dominant Ball before, so we're not getting too excited. He's now made 36 starts and thrown 179.1 innings at this level, so it's time for his next challenge at Double-A Portland.
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Red Sox's Trey Ball: Cruising through High-A
Ball is 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA through four starts for High-A Salem. He's pitched six or more innings in three straight starts, including his most recent when he struck out six in seven scoreless innings.
High-A Salem pitching coach Paul Abbott told the Boston Globe he worked with Ball late last season to add a slider to his repertoire that's starting to work for him. Sometimes it has the action of a slider and sometimes it works like a cutter, which can be a weapon inside to right-handed hitters. "It's a big league pitch," said Abbott. "It's a nice complement to his repertoire, for sure. It allows him to have another option besides going to his changeup to get right-handers out. He throws it in on their hands, gets a lot of ground balls with it. It eliminates extended at-bats." A promotion to Double-A Portland should be coming soon.
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Red Sox's Trey Ball: Stellar in Friday's start
Ball pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits for High-A Salem on Friday.
In two starts since being activated off the disabled list, Ball has allowed two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out seven in 10 innings. It's a nice start to the season for the 2013 first-round pick who has had pockets of success but hasn't lived up to expectations. Command has been his major problem, but he also needs to develop his secondary offerings.
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Red Sox's Trey Ball: Activated from DL, headed to High-A Salem
Ball (knee) was activated from the season-opening disabled list Thursday and will report to High-A Salem, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports.
Ball began the season in extended spring training due to the knee issue, but it appears that he's fully healed and ready to contribute in the Red Sox organization again. He'll begin at the same level that he spent all of last season at, but he could move up to Double-A at some point later in the season if he has success at the High-A level.
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Player Bio
| HT/WT: 6-6, 185 lbs |
| Birthplace: New Castle, IN |
| Age: 29 |
| Bats/Throws: L, L |