Drafted in the 5th round (130th overall) by the Boston Red Sox in 1995.
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Little has gone right for Lomasney since he ranked as Boston's No. 1 prospect following the 1999 season. He started 2000 in an 0-for-19 slide and had his year end in mid-July with a hamstring injury. And that was good news compared to 2001, when he broke his right thumb in April and had the orbital bone around his right eye fracture when he was hit by a batting-practice liner in August. The Red Sox nontendered him in December but signed him a few days later. A former Boston College football recruit, Lomasney is a hard-nosed player with the mental toughness to come back from all that adversity. Less certain is his ability to hit for average. He sometimes overcompensates for his problems with breaking balls by looking for them exclusively, only to fall victim to fastballs. He does have some power against fastballs. Lomasney is more athletic than most catchers, but he relies more on guts than instincts behind the plate. His arm is average but his release is slow and his accuracy is inconsistent. After throwing out 33 percent of basestealers in Double-A last year, he went 0-for-21 in Double-A. With Jason Varitek establishing himself in Boston and top 2001 draft pick (second round) Kelly Shoppach about to begin his pro career, time is running out on Lomasney.
Ranked as Boston's 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 couldn't get his average above .200 until late May. He made just six rehab appearances after injuring his hamstring in mid-July. Lomasney shows strong tools behind the plate. He's 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. However, 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 in Double-A Trenton. 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.
Background: A potential local hero from Peabody, Mass., just north of Boston, Lomasney was a football and baseball star in high school. After being rated the organization's No. 14 prospect a year ago, he jumps forward based on his developing bat. Strengths: The Red Sox knew Lomasney was a good catcher, but he had a coming-out year with his bat, with great power numbers for the Florida State League. He is a gifted athlete with both the physical and mental tools for the catcher's job, and a body that will allow him to catch every day. He even has enough speed to steal bases. Weaknesses: Lomasney must continue his progress on offense. He still strikes out too much, though his plate discipline is improving. On defense, he just needs to get more consistent. The Future: The Sox find a lot to like in Lomasney, and he has established himself as the catcher of the future. He's slotted for Double-A Trenton next year.
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Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Boston Red Sox in 2001
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