ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Casey Kelly, the high school shortstop from nearby Sarasota who was the Red Sox' top pick in the recent amateur draft, visited Tropicana Field yesterday and met Francona and several players.

Kelly, a two-sport star, has an offer to play quarterback at the University of Tennessee, and practice begins next week in Knoxville. If Kelly enrolls in school and reports to football practice for the Volunteers, the Sox lose their rights to him.

"It’s definitely a tough choice," said Kelly, who visited Fenway on Tuesday and went through a workout for the Sox. "I go back and forth. Not many people get to play (Division I) college football and not many people are the first pick by the world champions."

Even if Kelly chooses baseball and signs with the Sox, there’s still the matter of what position he’ll play. In addition to shortstop, he also has pitched.

"I love playing shortstop every day, but as a pitcher you make a big impact," he said. "That’s another thing we have to figure out."