Red Sox 23-Year-Old Just Showcased Tools to Become MLB Ace

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Connelly Early is still classified as a prospect, but the 23-year-old left-hander is pitching with the poise of a seasoned rotation anchor. In his first spring outing Monday against the Tampa Bay Rays, Early needed only 27 pitches to reinforce why Boston’s decision-makers believe he could evolve into the staff’s eventual No. 1.

Working two scoreless innings, Early surrendered no hits, issued one walk, struck out one, and coaxed four swings-and-misses. The contest wasn’t televised, yet Statcast data told the story: six distinct offerings, elite shape on the fastball, and a changeup that danced well above league average.

According to TJStats creator Thomas Nestico, Early’s four-seam fastball registered a 113 tjStuff+ (100 is average) on Tuesday, sitting 94.8 mph—nearly a full tick above his 2023 major-league mark. The pitch also featured an additional inch of induced vertical break, hinting at even steeper downhill plane than the version that flummoxed opponents during last September’s four-start cameo.

The changeup graded at 107 tjStuff+, giving Early a second plus weapon. More impressive than any single pitch, however, was the seamless sequencing: six different grips, all working in concert, a repertoire rarely seen even among established aces.

Early’s defense betrayed him in last fall’s elimination game against the Yankees, saddling him with an undeserved loss, but nothing the Red Sox have asked of him since—big-league lineups, playoff stakes, or spring auditions—has dented his composure. While he remains a long shot to break camp in the rotation, Monday’s performance was an opening statement that the final decision may not be as straightforward as once assumed.

With each efficient, swing-and-miss frame, Early strengthens his case that the future ace of the Boston Red Sox is already on the payroll.