The Red Sox have selected Virginia left-hander Connelly Early with their fifth-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft at No. 151 overall.
Early, 21, posted a 3.09 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with exactly 100 strikeouts to 23 walks in 19 appearances (18 starts) spanning 87 1/3 innings of work for Virginia as a junior this past season and was a third-team All-ACC selection as a result.
A native of Midlothian, Va., Early spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Army. As a sophomore, the lefty earned 2022 Patriot League Pitcher of the Year honors before transferring to Virginia last August.
In his lone season with the Cavaliers, Early was battery mates with catcher Kyle Teel, who the Red Sox drafted with the 14th overall pick on Sunday. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound southpaw throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a low-90s fastball, a sweeping slider, a curveball, and a changeup that is viewed as his best secondary offering.
Early, who does not turn 22 until next April, is the second pitcher Boston has taken alongside fourth-rounder Matt Duffy (Canisius). The 151st overall pick in this year’s draft comes with a slot value of $408,500.
(Picture of Connelly Early: Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
Blogging the Red Sox 