2025 SoxProspects.com Awards: Pitcher of the Year

This concludes the fifth and final day of 2025 SoxProspects.com Awards week. As previously mentioned, we at SoxProspects.com have spent the past week recognizing our All-Star position players and pitchers, Graduate of the Year, Homegrown Player of the Year, Ex-Prospect of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, Breakout Player of the Year, and Player of the Year. To wrap things up today, we are naming our Pitcher of the Year honoree.

Like Player of the Year Jhostynxon Garcia, Connelly Early (pictured) stood out in several areas on his way to making his MLB debut late this season. On the heels of earning 2024 SoxProspects.com All-Star and Rookie of the Year honors, the 23-year-old left-hander opened the 2025 campaign as the No. 10 prospect in the system.

Returning to Portland for the start of his second full professional season, Early came out of the gates firing, compiling a 2.51 ERA with 96 strikeouts to 29 walks in his first 15 outings (12 starts) and 71 1/3 innings of the year for the Sea Dogs. He was then promoted to Worcester alongside right-hander David Sandlin in late July.

While Sandlin transitioned to a bullpen role upon being elevated, Early remained in Worcester's starting rotation and continued to impress. The young lefty posted a 2.83 ERA with 36 strikeouts to 11 walks in his first six starts (28 2/3 innings) for the WooSox while holding opposing hitters to a .184 batting average.

Seven days after recording the first double-digit game of his pro career against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on September 2, Early had his contract selected by the Red Sox on September 9. He would be taking the place of Dustin May, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow neuritis, in Boston's starting rotation. As part of an electrifying big league debut against the Athletics in Sacramento, Early scattered five hits and one walk while striking out 11 over five dominant, scoreless innings.

After tying the Red Sox franchise record for most strikeouts in an MLB debut, Early made three more starts and wrapped up the regular season with a 2.33 ERA and strikeout-to-walk ratio of 29 to 4 over 19 1/3 innings in which opponents batted .230 against him. He was then called upon to take the injured Lucas Giolito's place and start the deciding Game 3 of the Wild Card Series against the Yankees on October 2. In front of a raucous Bronx crowd, he allowed four runs (three earned) in 3 2/3 unlucky innings and was ultimately charged with the loss as Boston was eliminated from postseason contention.

Despite how it may have ended, Early -- like fellow southpaw Payton Tolle -- undoubtedly put himself on the map this year. He finished the minor league season having forged a 2.60 ERA with 132 strikeouts to 40 walks in 21 outings (18 starts) totaling 100 1/3 innings between Portland and Worcester. Opposing hitters managed to bat just .137 against Early, who has since been recognized as a 2025 Eastern League and SoxProspects.com All-Star.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, Early operates with a five-pitch mix that consists of an upper-90s fastball that tops out at 97 mph, a mid-80s changeup, an upper-80s slider, a lower-80s curveball, and a lower-80s sweeper. The former 2023 fifth-round draft selection out of Virginia is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 5 prospect in the organization. Both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline have him ranked as Boston's No. 6 prospect, with BA also ranking him at No. 100 in its top 100 prospects list.

Depending on how the offseason plays out, Early, who does not turn 24 until April, figures to be in the mix for a spot in Boston's Opening Day starting rotation when spring training begins in February. For now, though, he is projected to begin the 2026 season in Worcester.