Trey Ball

Ball, the Red Sox's first-round pick in 2013, opened last season in extended spring training before earning a promotion to full-season affiliate Low-A Greenville. He was hit hard immediately and repeatedly, giving the organization an opportunity to see how the pitcher would respond to adversity, and they were pleased. After Ball limped out of June with a 7.27 ERA and .370 BAA, his secondary stuff started dropping in for strikes and he pitched much better in July and August. He allowed two earned runs or fewer in nine of his final 11 starts. He proved himself mentally, kept working on the secondary offerings, and improvement ensued. The organization will get a look at where he's at in spring training before deciding on his starting assignment in 2015, but a promotion to High-A Salem is not out of the question.

Ball was Boston's first-round draft pick in 2013 out of New Castle High School in Indiana, and was immediately placed with the organization's rookie team in the Gulf Coast League. He started five games, but is being brought along slowly and pitched just seven innings. At 6-foot-6 and 190 pounds, his thin frame has lots of space to fill out. As Ball matures physically, the velocity of his low-90s fastball will increase. His changeup has plus potential, while his curveball, which he didn't start throwing until his junior year, showed improvement as a senior. His mechanics, something to watch with tall pitchers, are considered smooth, and there are not a lot of miles on the arm. Most likely, he'll remain at the rookie level until he's placed at short-season Lowell, though a full-season assignment to Low-A Greenville is a strong possibility.