Baseball America is busy right now putting together its top 20 prospects lists by league now that the minor league baseball season is over. They got it started with the Arizona League, the Gulf Coast League, Appalachian League, Pioneer League, the Northwest League, NY/Penn League, the Midwest League, the South Atlantic League and the California League.
Now it’s time to take a look at where any Red Sox farmhands ranked in the top 20 of the Carolina League where the Salem Red Sox play.
The Red Sox had two farmhands ranked in the top 20 as outfielder Bryce Brentz (8th) and pitcher Anthony Ranaudo (14th) both garnered some attention. Brentz was also ranked in the top 20 prospects of the South Atlantic League (No. 16).
Brentz was a first round draft choice for the Red Sox in 2010 out of Middle Tennessee State and spent a better portion of his season playing in Salem. He played in 45 games for the Drive where he hit .359 with 11 home runs, 36 RBIs and two stolen bases. In 75 games with Salem, Brentz hit .274 with 19 home runs, 58 RBIs and one stolen base. When you combine his stats for the season, he hit .306 with 30 home runs, 94 RBIs and three stolen bases.
Ranaudo was also drafted in the first round by the Red Sox in 2010 out of LSU. He started the 2011 season with the Greenville Drive where he was 4-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 10 starts. After his promotion to Salem, Ranaudo made 16 starts where he was 5-5 with a 4.33 ERA. When you combine his stats for the season, Ranaudo was 9-6 with a 3.97 ERA in 16 starts.
Since the Red Sox don’t have a team anymore in the Florida State League (which gets announced on Monday), the next look we’ll have is on Tuesday when the top 20 prospects for the Eastern League are announced.
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