Background: Ranked as BostonÕs No. 1 prospect after the 1999 season, Lomasney endured a trying year in 2000. The former Boston College football recruit went 0-for-19 in his first five games and couldnÕt get his average above .200 until late May. He made just six rehab appearances after injuring his hamstring in mid-July.

Strengths: Lomasney shows strong tools behind the plate. HeÕs athletic and has good receiving and throwing skills. As a hitter, he has power potential and a willingness to draw walks. His mental toughness helped him get out of his early-season slump and bat .291 the rest of the way.

Weaknesses: Lomasney is a career .236 hitter. The Red Sox wanted him to focus on hitting breaking pitches in 2000, and he took it to an extreme, letting too many hittable fastballs go by. His release gets sluggish at times, which is why he threw out just 19 percent of basestealers at Double-A Trenton.

The Future: He has yet to hit much in two Double-A stints, so Lomasney could get a third trip to Trenton before moving up to Triple-A. His ceiling is as a solid backstop who could hit 15-20 homers a year.