Casey Kelly to Pitch Full Time Next Year

[soxrchamps07]

http://www.csnne.com/pages/landing?Sox- ... eedID=3947

INDIANAPOLIS -- Casey Kelly, the Red Sox' 2008 first-round draft choice who's been splitting time between pitching and playing shortstop, has decided to become a full-time pitcher.

As a pitcher, Kelly split the 2009 season between Greenville and Salem, both of which are Class A teams -- Greenville is Low A, Salem is High A -- and had a combined 2.08 ERA. Then, shifting to shortstop, he played for both Greenville and the GCL Red Sox and batted .222.

The Sox have always felt Kelly had more promise as a pitcher, and he apparently made his decision after discussing the matter with his father and Red Sox officials. He will report to the Red Sox Rookie Developement Program in January and will attend spring training with the Red Sox as a non-roster invitee.

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It' not like no one saw this coming, but its good that he finally realized that his baseball career is going to be as a pitcher.

 

[Jaypers]

Smart move by the kid.

Interestingly enough though, Jim Callis, who is the creator of the Red Sox Top 30 prospects list, told me earlier today that he will likely be their # 2 overall prospect (behind Westmoreland). I then queried how a pitcher with a ceiling of a #1-2 starter could fall behind a potential 5-tool outfielder, as the former is considered to be more rare of a find. (Personally, I see a bit of Rick Porcello in this kid.)

To which he replied I'd have to wait until the list came out to get the answer to that question.

 

[brianga26]

big kid. good head on his shoulders. I was very impressed with him when I met him last season. I really think he has a great future ahead of his

 

[gt2590]

Good to hear...

 

[jbone17]

I too met Casey last year. The kid looked very matured and I saw this coming. He didn't look so swift when I saw him hit. I had a feeling this was going to happen.