Who is Connelly Early? Everything to Know About Red Sox’ Prospect Rumored for MLB Debut

Hailing from Midlothian, Virginia, Connelly Early is now established as the Red Sox’s favorite prospect who is nearing his promotion. Just this Sunday, during Triple-A Worcester’s doubleheader, Connelly Early was supposed to start the late game. However, he was scratched from the lineup as reportedly requested by the major league club.

Worcester Red Sox manager Chad Tracy revealed, “(The Red Sox) wanted him not to pitch and they’re probably dealing with stuff up there and they said they just don’t want him to (throw). So he’s staying available.” Apparently, the Red Sox have an opening in their rotation on Wednesday. So while nothing is imminent, it’s likely that Connelly could get called up soon.

Let’s take an inside scoop on the prospect rumored for the MLB debut.

Who is Connelly Early? Everything about him, his parents, background, and more

Beyond Connelly Early’s scouting reports, he has a pretty notable background. Born on April 3, 2002, in Richmond, Virginia, Early was brought up in Midlothian. His father, Todd Early, and mom, Anne McNeil, always made sure their son got a supportive environment. He has three siblings—Coleman, Cabell, and Callum.

Connelly Early did his schooling at James River High School – Center for Leadership and International Relations. There, he notched All-State, All-Region, and All-Metro honors with his dominant pitching. He also served as a member of the National Honor Society.

He started his college baseball career at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (Army). He was also named Patriot League Pitcher of the Year. Apart from baseball, he also has a significant interest in playing golf.

In college, Connelly Early pursued Religious Studies, a decision that speaks a lot about his curiosity and depth beyond athletics.

A look at his MLB Career? Diving deeper into Connelly Early’s baseball journey

Connelly Early was drafted in the fifth round (around 151 overall) by the Red Sox in the 2023 MLB Draft. The Boston Red Sox have noticeably leaned on youth in the pitching staff this season. Take Hunter Dobbins, Richard Fitts, and Payton Tolle, for example. All three have been crucial pieces for the club. With pitching depth still a concern, Connelly Early could likely get a call-up.

Speaking of his numbers, Early is a left-hander who has appeared in 23 games across two levels. He has recorded a 2.60 ERA over 100 1/3 innings. Currently, he’s striking out 31.9% of hitters while walking 9.7%.

Last week, Connelly Early turned in one of the best starts of the WooSox season at Polar Park.

He managed to rack up 19 swings and misses while keeping Scranton/Wilkes-Barre hitters off balance throughout the game. Early shutdown the RailRiders lineup across the next six innings.

WooSox manager Chad Tracy admitted it too: “He was electric.” Apparently, Connelly Early’s fastball was really working for him. He got 10 swings and misses on that pitch alone. Early’s fastball averages 93.5 mph and has shown some bat-missing ability.

He has interesting physical tools that set him apart.

Connelly Early is 6’3 tall and weighs 195 pounds, bringing a tall and athletic presence on the mound. He’s exactly the kind of pitcher who knows how to control both the batter’s box and the basepaths. Well, with all that said about him, how excited are you to see him play at Fenway Park?