BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox announced that the club has signed seven players selected in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, including right-handed pitcher Anthony Ranaudo (supplemental 1st round), Garin Cecchini (4th round) and outfielder Lucas LeBlanc (11th round). Red Sox Director of Amateur Scouting Amiel Sawdaye made the announcements.
Ranaudo, 20, suffered from stress reaction in his right elbow and went 5-2 with a 7.32 ERA (42 ER/51.2 IP) and 54 strikeouts in 15 appearances (11 starts) for LSU as a junior in 2010. The right-hander was healthy this summer and pitched for Brewster of the Cape Cod League. He did not allow an earned run over five starts, compiling a 3-0 record with 10 hits allowed and 31 strikeouts in 29.2 innings. In 2009, Ranaudo went 12-3 with a 3.04 ERA (42 ER/124.1 IP) in 19 starts for the Tigers as a sophomore and earned the victory in the clinching game of the 2009 College World Series.
Ranaudo, a product of Jackson, N.J., was the 11th-round selection of the Texas Rangers in the 2007 MLB Draft before deciding to enroll at LSU.
According to MLB.com’s Ian Browne, Ranaudo was offered a $2.55 million contract.
Cecchini, an LSU baseball signee, was selected out of Barbe High School (LA) but did not play in 2010 due to injury. The left-handed batter hit .402 (45-for-112) with six home runs and 43 RBI for the Buccaneers as a junior in 2009. He received a signing bonus of $1.31 million.
Another LSU signee, LeBlanc was named a National Junior College Athletic Association First Team All-American in 2010 after leading Delgado Community College in batting (.420), doubles (17), triples (7), home runs (11), RBI (67), runs (72), total bases (153), slugging (.722) and stolen bases (23).