Connelly Early

Early was one of the top lefty starters in the minors at the time of his Sept. 9 promotion to the majors, but he exceeded expectations across four big-league starts and earned a start in the playoffs. He tallied a 2.60 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 22.2 K-BB% and 50.0 GB% in 100.1 innings across Double-A and Triple-A and a 2.33 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 31.6 K-BB% in four big-league starts. A 23-year-old whose 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame is still projectable, Early has a bevy of quality offerings, with his sweeper serving as a devastating put-away pitch against lefties while his curveball and changeup are used to dispatch righties. Additionally, he relies on his 93-mph sinker against lefties and his 94-mph four-seamer against righties, showcasing a versatile repertoire that few seasoned big-league starters can match. Early has never logged a walk rate over 9.8 percent and he is good at suppressing hard contact. He also doesn't have a notable injury history, as he didn't add low-to-mid-90s fastball velocity until after he got into pro ball in 2023. Early may have been underrated in the minor leagues, but he generated a substantial amount of buzz in his first taste of the big leagues and should open 2026 in Boston's rotation. Read Past Outlooks