Red Sox Reportedly Released Once Highly-Touted Flamethrowing Closer

The third-round pick was once thought to be called up to the majors in his rookie year

The Boston Red Sox finally cut ties with a prospect who had a lot of hype on draft night but never was able to maintain success at the professional level. 

As a slew of Red Sox hurlers make their way back to the big leagues, Triple-A Worcester will have to undergo a roster crunch. The first domino dropped Tuesday.

“The WooSox created a roster spot by releasing (Durbin) Feltman,” MassLive’s Chris Cotillo wrote. “The move was made due to performance: the team saw Feltman as someone at the bottom of their Triple-A roster.”

Feltman was an exciting draft prospect after an impressive junior year at TCU and looked as if he could become a star during his shortened rookie season.

After being drafted in the third round by the Red Sox in 2018, there was legitimate hype that Feltman could make his way onto the big league roster that very same season for a postseason run. 

Feltman topped out at 99 mph in college with a slider that kept college hitters off balance as the Horned Frogs closer. After posting an 0.74 ERA in his final collegiate season, the young fireballer kept his momentum going at all three levels of Single-A and logged a 1.93 ERA in 23 1/3 innings during his first taste of professional action in 2018. While he did not fly up to Boston just months after the draft as some speculated, he did impress as a rookie.

Unfortunately, the right-hander started to lose control as he advanced through the system and then his velocity dropped as well.

Feltman posted a 7.63 ERA with a 56-to-24 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.59 WHIP in 48 1/3 innings for Triple-A Worcester last season.

The Red Sox have seen enough of Feltman, ending a once-promising storyline on a sour note. 

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