By Mike Andrews, SoxProspects.com | ESPNBoston.com
The 19th overall pick in the 2011 draft, right-handed pitcher Matt Barnes is on the precipice of making his professional debut with the Greenville Drive on Easter Sunday. A native of Bethel, Conn., Barnes is already considered a top-10 prospect in the Red Sox system, and one who projects as a middle-of-the-rotation starter at the major league level. Starting as a tee-baller in a small New England town, he has had an interesting road to get to the professional ranks.
“I started baseball at a young age, five or six – I played tee-ball, little league, middle school, high school, the whole nine yards,” said Barnes. “I played soccer when I was really young too, and I attempted freshman football, but it wasn’t really my thing. My second love for a sport is basketball; I played that for seven or eight years through to varsity.” To read more on the ESPN story, click here.
