Is Trey Ball The New Tom Bolton (5/22/17)

As of this time the Boston Red Sox first round picks in 2011 (Matt Barnes, Jackie Bradley Jr), 2012 (Deven Marrero) and 2015 (Andrew Benintendi) are in the Majors on the Red Sox. Their 2014 first round pick Michael Kopech was the centerpiece of the Chris Sale trade and he could make the majors by the end of the season for Chicago. What about their 2013 first round pick Trey Ball? Many people are calling the 6 foot 6 lefty a bust already since he's struggled in Single A Salem and Double A Portland the last two seasons. These guys are a bit premature on writing off Ball. After all, there was another tall lefty that was drafted out of high school in 1980 that didn't make his debut until 1987. That was Tom Bolton.

                                                       Took 7 years to make the majors.

Bolton was a 2nd round pick in 1980 and pitched well in Elmira (Low A) that season. He spent 1981 and 1982 in Winter Haven (High A) and did well in 1982 at the age of 22. He was doing very well for New Britain (AA) in 1983 but was bashed around in Pawtucket. He regressed in 1984 and 1985 back in New Britain going 9-11 with an ERA over 4 in those two years. At that point he was 25 years old and pitching mediocre in the minors. A total bust right? Well not so fast! In 1986 in Pawtucket he went 4-6 but with an ERA of 2.79. FINALLY in 1987 he made his major league debut with the Red Sox, appearing in 5 games. He shuttled back between Pawtucket and Boston in 1988 and 1989 before finding his groove in 1990.

10 years after being drafted, Bolton went 10-5 with the Sox to help the 1990 club win the AL East division title. He regressed in 1991 going 8-9 but going 18-14 in 2 seasons after being a "bust" 6 years earlier is nothing to sneeze at.

Which brings me to Trey Ball. He went 5-10 for Low A Greenville at age 19 in 2014 before going 9-13 in High A Salem in 2015. He did go 8-6 in Salem last year but he's currently 1-3 with a 5.06 ERA in Portland.

So at age 22 (turning 23 in June) Ball is struggling in Double A. Bolton was still in High A at the same age back in 1982. Bolton also had 2 mediocre years in AA at age 24 and 25 so its unfair to close the book on Ball just yet. Yes, he may get traded or get hurt, but to call him a bust is just wrong. Who knows, he may pull a Bolton and win 10 games in 2023. D'Angelo "Little Papi" Ortiz should be on the Red Sox by then right?