Connelly Early is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. Born on April 3, 2002, in Midlothian, Virginia, he played college baseball at the United States Military Academy and the University of Virginia. He was drafted by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Early had a strong amateur career, earning All-America honors and achieving notable pitching stats at Virginia. He made his MLB debut in 2025 and quickly made an impact by striking out 11 batters in five innings in his first major league game. As of the 2025 season, he has a record of 1-2 with a 2.33 ERA in the major leagues and has been praised for his pitching skills and poise in high- stress games, including the playoffs. He is regarded as one of Boston's top prospects and has been noted for his varied pitching repertoire and strong strikeout ability. Notably, Early started a crucial winner-take-all wild card playoff game for the Red Sox shortly after his debut, becoming one of the few pitchers in history to start a postseason game within his first five MLB appearances. He is the youngest Red Sox pitcher to start a postseason game since Babe Ruth in 1916.
