Connelly Early Makes MLB Debut with Red Sox

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Former Virginia Baseball player Connelly Early (2023) made his Major League debut on Tuesday (September 9) for the Boston Red Sox. The lefty tossed five scoreless innings against the Athletics with 11 strikeouts to pick up the win. Early’s 11 Ks tied the franchise record for strikeouts in a debut.

Early is the sixth-best prospect in the Boston farm system, according to MLB.com and has split the 2025 season between the Red Sox’s Double-A affiliate in Portland and Triple-A affiliate in Worcester. In 18 minor league starts this season, Early has a 10-3 record with a 2.60 ERA and 132 strikeouts in 100.1 innings pitched.

With the addition of Early, a total of 59 former Cavaliers have played in an MLB Game. The southpaw was selected 151st overall by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB Draft. 

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.