Red Sox: 2018 Spring Training Non-Roster invitee snubs

Trey Ball

Trey Ball made the jump to Double-A last season after a fantastic 2016 in Advanced-A. The 2013 first-round draft pick has had some location problems, and last year they came back to bite him.

Although his walks were down (57 in 124 2/3 innings) his batting average against drastically rose to .322. Meanwhile, the left-hander had a walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) of 1.75.

Just like for Stankiewicz though, numbers don’t tell the entire story. Oh, and there were flashes of brilliance for Ball last season too. This included two complete games, as well as three no-run performances

Although the 23-year-old’s numbers weren’t great, there were some clear improvements despite the higher competition. Such as fewer walks despite more innings, and more strikeouts as well. Not to mention, those two complete games were the firsts of his young career.

2018 will be a big year for the lefty. It could have a lot to do with shaping the future of the former first-round pick. Therefore, the Red Sox should want to keep a close eye on him. I don’t think they’ll be disappointed.

Ball improved immensely from year-one to year-two in Advanced-A. Then he made even more advances in his game despite moving up to Double-A. Don’t be surprised if he takes that next step again this year. It would’ve been a nice sign of confidence for the Red Sox to bring him to camp.