Scouting Report: Well-built catcher's frame with a strong core. Line drive hitter with decent power potential. Makes good contact, mediocre plate discipline. Behind the plate, Federowicz presently is above average defensively, and has the tools to develop into a very good major league defensive catcher. Extremely strong and accurate arm with a quick release. Outstanding at throwing runners out. Calls a good game and handles the pitching staff well. Glovework can use a little bit of improvement. Average speed (pretty good speed for a catcher).

Scouting Report: One of the Red Sox' top young Latin pitching prospects, Pimentel has a nice pitcher's frame and a high ceiling. Relies mainly on his 90-92 mph four-seam fastball, but also makes use of an very good curveball and an excellent changeup. Just starting to develop a two-seam cutter as well. His fastball hits the mid-90s when he reaches back, and he may be able to sustain that velocity over full starts when he grows into his frame. Pimentel's changeup is advanced for his age, sitting between 78-82 mph, and has the potential to be a wipeout pitch. 12-6 curveball has the tendency to create a lot of swings and misses, and sits around 76 mph. Curveball has plus potential, but right now he tends to hang it a bit too much. Aggressive - throws strikes with very good command. Also has decent control, he's not going to issue a lot of free passes. 3/4 arm slot, maintains velocity well. Smooth delivery. Learning English at a good pace.

Scouting Report: Local product was one of the top New England high school players in 2008. Slim, athletic build with the ability to add strength. Open stance. Keeps his hands high around his helmet and goes into a bit of a crouch as the ball approaches. Smooth and quick swing. Patient and selective - waits for his pitch. Above average power potential with a terrific approach. Elite speed with excellent base-running skills. Strong arm with nice outfield range. Very intelligent. Passed up a full ride at Vanderbilt to sign with the Sox. Also a great pitcher in high school, he pitched a perfect game in April 2008, striking out 19 of 21 batters. Had surgery on a partially torn labrum in November 2008.

Scouting Report: Not initially signed as a big name, Navarro has thoroughly impressed the Sox brass during his rise through the organization. He has an athletic build for a shortstop, with a little bit of bulk. At the plate, he makes good contact and generates good loft off his bat, resulting in a lot of liners. Quick wrists, nice bat speed. Hits fastballs better than breaking balls. A little too aggressive at the plate, could stand to take some more pitches. Average speed and good power for a middle infielder. In the field, he plays 2B, 3B, and SS more than adequately, with a sure glove, an above average arm, and decent fluidity. He has had some problems with executing double plays, but that seems to be improving. Regardless, he's always entertaining to watch, and turns a lot of big league gems with his glove. He has an Ozzie Smith-like electricity in the field.

The Red Sox have now officially announced the deal to acquire Adam LaRoche in exchange for minor-leaguers Hunter Strickland, a 20-year-old right-hander, and Argenis Diaz, a 22-year-old shortstop. In a related move, the Sox promoted shortstop Yamaico Navarro from High-A Salem of the Carolina League to Double-A Portland. Diaz is hitting .319 with four homers and 17 RBIs in 23 games for Salem.
For more on the deal, visit the Full Count blog.

At first, the symptom was diagnosed as a kidney infection. Rizzo was unconcerned. Worst-case scenario? A week on the sidelines, some anti-biotics, then back to games.

But the condition proved more stubborn than expected. Rizzo was flown to Boston to meet with Dr. David Steele, a nephrologist at Mass. General.

The kidney specialist discovered swelling in the lymph nodes. A biopsy revealed the startling, almost incomprehensible news: Limited Stage Classical Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

"When I heard the word cancer, everything was, 'Wow.' I could die. I didn't know what Hodgkin's lymphoma was," said Rizzo. "Then I heard the word chemotherapy. My mom was next to me. I just held her and hugged her."

With the 30th pick in round 1 of today's amateur player draft, the Red Sox selected shortstop Casey Kelly from Sarasota, Fla. The six-foot-three Kelly is also a pitcher.

MLB.com says: "One of the better athletes in the class, whoever drafts Kelly will have to lure him from being a two-sport star at the University of Tennessee, where he is a quarterback recruit. Big and athletic, he has all the tools to play shortstop. The main question is whether he'll swing the bat well enough and that could determine his Draft status as a hitter. As a pitcher, he's a bit raw, but has the makings of three outstanding pitches and could be more intriguing to scouts on the mound."

Chris Carter collected three hits in a second straight game Sunday for La Guaira of the Venezuela Winter League.

He homered and drove in four runs on Saturday. Carter is batting .416/.444/.636 in 77 at-bats in Venezuela. He holds a slight edge over Jody Gerut and Mike Aviles for the league lead in OPS.

An unusual pick for the Red Sox, Dent is a raw but very talented shortstop from a California high school. A 6'0", 180-pound right-hander, Dent has some of the best speed in the draft. Unlike some of his peers, Dent uses speed to his advantage in all aspects of the game. In addition to being a quick defender, Dent wreaks havoc with stolen bases and taking extra bases on balls hit to the outfield. He also gets out of the batter's box well, beating out infield singles and forcing errors by making defenders rush.

However, Dent's game isn't all speed. He's considered strong for someone his size, and he's shown an aptitude with wooden bats before. While his swing is short and promising, Dent doesn't rely on his quick hands and often chases too many pitches. He'll need to improve on laying off breaking pitches and working the count better, but he's in the right organization to teach and stress that development.

Dent's top-notch speed means he has legitimate 40+ stolen base potential. Whether he falls closer to 30 or 50 likely depends on how often he's on base. Currently a shortstop, Dent could end up at second base or center field. His strong arm and quickness profile better at short or center, and that the Red Sox have Jacoby Ellsbury to man center for the future might persuade them to keep Dent at short. That'd obviously help his fantasy value considerably, and defensive certainty would bump him up a few notches. Dent is slightly more advanced than your typical raw high schooler and he's got plenty of upside, but there's plenty of risk as well.