– The Associated Press

Trey Ball, a high school pitcher from New Castle, Ind., was selected Thursday by the Boston Red Sox with the seventh choice in the major league draft.

The last time the Red Sox drafted that high was in 1993, when they also picked seventh and took Trot Nixon, who played nine seasons in Boston and helped the team to the World Series title in 2004.

Ball was an outstanding pitcher and hitter in high school, but is considered by most scouts to have greater potential on the mound at the pro level. Ball was announced as a pitcher.

Ball, who stands 6-foot-6, had earned a scholarship to the University of Texas after a senior season that included a 6-0 record and a 0.76 earned-run average, with a fastball that tops at 94 mph. He was the Indiana player of the year.

The Red Sox also had a second-round selection on the opening day of the three-day draft.

n Houston selected Stanford pitcher Mark Appel with the top choice in the draft, a year after passing on him and instead taking 17-year-old shortstop Carlos Correa from Puerto Rico.

“We felt like it was the best move,” General Manager Jeff Luhnow said on MLB Network. “Last year was a different circumstance.”

Appel, who grew up in Houston before moving to California when he was 12, slid to Pittsburgh at No. 8 but turned down a $3.8 million offer and returned to Stanford for his senior season. The move paid off.

After going 10-4 with a 2.12 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 1061/3 innings this season for the Cardinal, the 6-foot-4, 195-pound Appel is expected to fetch about $2 million more than he passed on last year.

With the No. 2 pick, the Chicago Cubs selected Kris Bryant of San Diego, who led Division I with 31 home runs this season.

Pitcher Jonathan Gray of Oklahoma was selected third by Colorado.

The first high school player picked was pitcher Kohl Stewart, who went to Minnesota at No. 4. A right-hander from Tomball, Texas, Stewart has signed to play baseball and football at Texas A&M.

ALEX RODRIGUEZ said he plans to keep tabs on developments in baseball’s latest drug investigation — the one where his name keeps popping up along with several other high-profile players.

YANKEES: Shortstop Derek Jeter is set to have his injured ankle examined next week.

CARDINALS: Pitcher Chris Carpenter threw to hitters for the second time in four days as he tries to overcome a career-threatening nerve issue.

n Pitcher Kevin Siegrist was promoted from Triple-A Memphis.

PADRES: San Diego reinstated outfielder Cameron Maybin from the disabled list and placed infielder Yonder Alonso on the 15-day DL.

WHITE SOX: Chicago placed right-hander Jake Peavy on the 15-day disabled list because of a fracture of the left fourth anterior rib.

MARINERS: Right-hander Hector Noesi was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma, and the team recalled right-hander Blake Beavan.

WHITE SOX: Manager Robin Ventura will miss Friday’s games against Oakland, the second of two missed games so he could attend his daughter’s graduation in California.