[cpredsox]

Age: 18
Born: October 4, 1989
Sarasota, FL
Height: 6-3
Weight: 190
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 1st round, 2008
How Acquired: Draft
High School: Srarasota HS (FL)
ETA: 2013




Sox Prospects link




The red sox would prefer Kelly to be pitching but it was assumed the only way he would convinced not to accept a scholarship to the University of Tennessee as a quarter back was to give him a shot this year at short. His father is a coach somewhere in the GCL as well.

[Chrupzilla]

He's struggling in Rookie ball with a .159/.174/.250 line in 44 at-bats, but that's not expected to last. As mentioned, signability was a concern, but he accepted a $3 million signing bonus and will play SS in 2008.

[cpredsox]

Quote

Red Sox first-round draft pick Casey Kelly, a pitcher/shortstop whose talent was good enough to be an elite pick at either position, is following an offseason program for pitchers, and will enter spring training as a hurler.

"He's going to transition into a pitching role for next year," said farm director Mike Hazen. "We're going to look at it like a first-year pitcher coming out, in the 100-inning range."

The 100-innings total is common for the pitchers in their first professional season out of high school. Once Kelly reaches that mark, the Sox plan to have him play shortstop for the rest of the 2009 campaign. He might also end up playing in a fall or winter league, most likely Hawaii, as a position player.

If all goes well with Kelly's offseason workouts, he could be assigned to Single-A Greenville of the South Atlantic League. He is the first Red Sox player in recent memory who will have a developmental program outlined for both his pitching and position playing careers, an approach that provides the team and player with greater flexibility for the long haul. That, in turn, will help to increase the likelihood that Kelly's professional career will ultimately progress at the position at which he is most valuable.

[JuanBong]

This is a really interesting/strange development program for a player. I'd think that his skills at SS would be pretty dull by the time he hits the 100 IP mark, unless he continues to hit in the cage and take grounballs. If he does both it isn't hard to see him getting a little exhausted by the end of July

[cpredsox]

First start: 5 IP, 4 H, 4/1 K/BB

[cpredsox]

Second start of the season: (W, 2-0)- 5.0, 4H, 0ER, 4-1 K/BB, 5-5 GO/FO

[cpredsox]

Third start: 5IP, 2H, 4K, 9-2 GO/FO No runs allowed to date.