Connelly Early is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox who made his MLB debut in 2025. He was born on April 3, 2002, and played college baseball at the United States Military Academy and the University of Virginia. Early was drafted by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB draft. He has quickly advanced through the minor leagues and made his major league debut on September 9, 2025, striking out 11 batters in his debut game, tying a Red Sox rookie record for strikeouts. In his rookie MLB season, he has shown strong pitching stats with a 2.33 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 19.1 innings over four starts. Before his professional career, Early was a standout pitcher in college, earning multiple honors such as Patriot League Pitcher of the Year and All-ACC selections. He played at James River High School in Virginia before college. Early is known for his athleticism, pitchability, and potential as a starting pitcher with strength in his fastball, changeup, and breaking pitches. Despite being early in his professional career, he was trusted to start a critical playoff game for the Red Sox in 2025, a rare feat for such a young pitcher. This early stage in his career reveals a promising future for Connelly Early as a mid-rotation starter with MLB-level talent and growing experience.
