Early, O’Donnell Selected on Day Two of MLB Draft

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Cavalier juniors Connelly Early and Ethan O’Donnell were both selected on day two of the 2023 MLB Draft. Early, a left-handed pitcher was picked by the Boston Red Sox in the fifth round (151st overall) while O’Donnell was a sixth round (168th overall) choice of the Cincinnati Reds.

2023 Virginia MLB Draft Picks
C – Kyle Teel – Boston Red Sox – Round 1 (14th overall)
3B – Jake Gelof – Los Angeles Dodgers – Round 2 (60th overall)
LHP – Connelly Early – Boston Red Sox – Round 5 (151st overall)
OF – Ethan O’Donnell – Cincinnati Reds – Round 6 (168th overall)

The Cavaliers have four players selected in the top six rounds for the first time since 2017 and the third time in program history (2015, 2017 & 2023). Virginia has a total of 98 draft picks since 2004, the first year of Brian O’Connor’s tenure in Charlottesville.

Early flourished in 2023 after transferring to UVA after two seasons at Army-West Point. The lefthander matched the program-record for wins in a season with 12 and earned All-America honors from the NCBWA (First Team), Perfect Game (Second Team) and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper (Third Team). He was one of two Cavalier pitchers to garner All-ACC honors, earning a spot on the third team.

Early’s 12 victories were tied for the second-most in the nation and the Midlothian, Va. native sported the fifth-lowest ERA (3.09) in the ACC. He fanned 100 batters over 87.1 innings pitched while walking 23. Over three NCAA Tournament starts he allowed four earned runs in 18.1 innings and struck out 20 batters. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Charlottesville Regional for his 10-strikeout performance against East Carolina in the regional final.

O’Donnell made an immediate impact on the Cavalier lineup, starting all 65 games in his lone season at UVA. He batted .354 (90-for-254) with 71 runs scored, 18 doubles, 13 homers and 57 RBI. He led the Cavaliers and ranked eighth in the ACC with 18 stolen bases. He became the second Cavalier ever to be listed on the nine-member ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team. The outfielder had a team-best six outfield assist and made only one error in 197 chances.

O’Donnell’s 71 runs scored in 2023 are tied for the third most ever by a Cavalier in a single-season and he became only the 10th player in UVA history with 90 hits in season. He ranked in the top-10 in in the ACC in runs (7th), hits (8th) and total bases (8th).