Sox prospect Ranaudo promoted to Salem

According to Greenville Drive Media Relations Director Eric Jarinko (via twitter), Red Sox pitching prospect Anthony Ranaudo has been promoted from Low-A Greenville of the South Atlantic League to Hi-A Salem of the Carolina League.

The 21-year-old right-hander -- a supplemental first-round pick in 2010 who received a $2.55 million bonus in line with one of the top 10 picks in the country -- is now 10 starts into his first pro season. He went 4-1 with a 3.33 ERA, 50 strikeouts and 16 walks in 46 innings in Greenville. His season has had three separate segments to date: The 6-foot-7 mound giant had a 0.46 ERA in his first four starts, an 8.22 ERA in his next four starts (albeit in a stretch that featured one outing in which he tossed six shutout innings while allowing just one hit) and a 1.64 ERA with 11 strikeouts and one walk over his last 11 innings (spanning two starts).

Based on his performance to date, as well as track record of success both at an elite college program (LSU) and in last summer's Cape League, Ranaudo seemed a likely candidate for an early promotion almost as soon as he took the mound for Greenville. Indeed, he likely would have opened the year in Hi-A but for the fact that the Sox wanted him to gain comfort in a starter's five-day routine before moving Ranaudo up the ladder. That seemingly has been accomplished, allowing the Sox to move Ranaudo from a level where he is roughly the league-average age for pitchers to one in which he should face a greater challenge against more advanced competition.

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