Trey Ball to join Greenville, Pat Light up to Salem

After starting the season in extended spring training, left-handed pitcher Trey Ball is moving north to join the Greenville Drive, as confirmed by SoxProspects.com sources. Ball will take the roster spot in Greenville being vacated by Pat Light, who will be promoted to High A Salem. The roster moves could be made official as soon as Thursday.

Ball, who was drafted seventh overall in the 2013 draft as an Indiana high schooler, is a highly projectable and athletic pitcher, who also could have been a first-round pick as an outfielder. He features a low-90s fastball, shows good feel for a changeup, and has made great strides with his curveball despite not beginning to use it until his junior year of high school. While expectations will be high for Boston's earliest draft pick since Trot Nixon, Ball only recently started focusing on pitching full-time, and he is still very raw on the mound. While he has arguably the highest upside of any pitcher in the system, he is a long way away from that ceiling.

Light, who was drafted in the supplemental first-round in 2012, has thrown 17 1/3 innings in Greenville this season, posting a 4.15 ERA. He has walked four and struck out 19, 10 of which came in his first start of the season. Light has bounced back from a tough 2013 season, which was derailed due to a misdiagnosed injury, which was eventually revealed to be a torn hamstring. The 23-year-old has the type of size the Red Sox have been targeting, standing 6-foot-6 with a plus fastball that can reach 97.

Photo Credit: Trey Ball by Kelly O'Connor

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