Virginia Pitcher Connelly Early Signs Deal With Boston Red Sox

Early signed for $408,500, the full slot value of his selection as the No. 151 overall pick in the fifth round of the MLB Draft

Matt Newton | Jul 19, 2023

Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Virginia pitcher Connelly Early agreed to a deal with the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, completing his draft process to turn pro. Early signed for $408,500, the full slot value of his selection as the No. 151 overall pick in the fifth round of the MLB Draft.

A native of Midlothian, Virginia, Early played his final season of college baseball at UVA after beginning his career at Army. The lefty transfer turned in a 12-3 record in 18 starts and recorded a 3.09 ERA with 100 strikeouts to 23 walks in 87.1 innings. Moving into UVA's starting rotation just in time for the postseason, Early delivered three quality starts in the NCAA Tournament, striking out 10 batters in Virginia's regional-clinching win against East Carolina, pitching seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts in UVA's win over Duke in game 2 of the Super Regional, and giving up just two earned runs in five innings against TCU in the College World Series. At the end of the season, Early was named a Third-Team All-ACC selection, a Third-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, a Second-Team All-American by Perfect Game, and a First-Team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Early is the second Cavalier to agree to terms with the team who drafted him, joining UVA center fielder Ethan O'Donnell, who signed with the Cincinnati Reds on Monday for a $307,500 signing bonus.

Virginia's other draft selections are catcher Kyle Teel (No. 14 overall to the Boston Red Sox) and third baseman Jake Gelof (No. 60 overall to the Los Angeles Dodgers). Teel and Gelof have yet to agree to terms with their respective teams. Each MLB team has until 5pm Eastern on Tuesday, July 25th to agree to terms with its draft selections.

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Published Jul 19, 2023

MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.