By Randy Whitehouse,Staff Writer

PORTLAND – Hanley Ramirez’s skill on a baseball field virtually assures him a rapid rise to the Major Leagues. It’s not really a question of when, so much as where.

From the time the Boston Red Sox signed him in 2000, it seemed clear that the young shortstop would take a fast track to Fenway Park and arrive as the most highly-touted prospect at that position since Nomar Garciaparra made his debut in 1996. The man rated the No. 1 prospect in the Boston system the last three years and the No. 10 prospect in all of the minor leagues by Baseball America was poised to be the next gem unearthed by an organization that has too often had to raid other teams to make up for a lack of production by its own farm system.

But the trade of Garciaparra to the Cubs last year set in motion a series of events that have cast Ramirez’s future with the organization in doubt. The signing of All-Star shortstop Edgar Renteria to a four-year contract last winter has led to speculation that the 21-year-old Ramirez will either be used as trade bait or will have to learn a new position if he ever hopes to don a Red Sox uniform.

That’s all it is right now, though, speculation. Ramirez was still playing shortstop in spring training and is back manning the position for the Portland Sea Dogs, with whom he played his final 32 games of last season, hitting at a .310 clip.

“I don’t think it’s affected him at all. As a matter of fact, I think he’s happy Edgar’s (with the Red Sox) because he helped with his development big-time in spring training,” said first-year Sea Dogs manager Todd Claus, who managed Ramirez at Single-A Sarasota last year. “They were attached at the hip and it was tremendous for him.”

Ramirez’s spring numbers back that up. He hit .389 in Florida with two doubles, four RBIs and two stolen bases in 13 games. He even turned a triple play in a game against Philadelphia, snagging a line drive, tagging second and throwing to first.

But the highlight of training camp, according to Ramirez, was having Renteria, a former Sea Dog himself, as a mentor.

“I learned a lot from him,” he said. “We worked a lot together in spring training in the cage, in the field, on ground balls. He taught me a lot.”

The work with Renteria seems to have paid off mentally as much as physically for Ramirez. Observers describe him as looking more relaxed than he did last year in Portland. As a native of the Dominican Republic, Ramirez might argue that he’s never tense on a baseball field, but he agrees that he’s more prepared for Double-A baseball this year than he was last year.

“I’m always relaxed on the field,” he said. “I feel like I’m ready to go from the first day right on through.”

“He continues to mature and get better, both physically and mentally,” Claus said. “Hanley’s game is really coming together. He’s in Double-A for a reason. He needs to continue doing what he’s been doing.”

Whether Ramirez will continue doing what he’s been doing while playing shortstop remains to be seen with Renteria apparently entrenched at the position in Boston for the next four years. Although he is rated as the best defensive infielder in Boston’s minor leagues, Ramirez has been a bit erratic there through his minor league career, committing 82 errors in 326 games (including just three in 32 games in Portland last year).

His speed, strong arm, and 6-3, 195-pound frame have led some to propose a move to center field. Red Sox brass hasn’t made public any plans to move him to another position, but he said he’s open to a change if such plans are in the works.

“Any more positions that I can play is fine,” he said. “You never know.”

Regardless of where he takes his glove, Ramirez will have his bat to thank for getting him to the big leagues. He’s a .313 career hitter who has shown flashes of power, which is why some believe he has a chance to be, coincidentally, another Nomar Garciaparra or Edgar Renteria.

And regardless of Boston’s plan for him, Ramirez will get a chance to make a name for himself, Claus believes.

“Hanley’s got a future somewhere,” he said.