Newly claimed Red Sox right-hander Easton McGee’s impressive minor league stat
The Red Sox claimed former Rays right-hander Easton McGee off waivers earlier this week. The 24-year-old made his major league debut back on Oct. 2 at Houston.
He went 3 innings, allowing one unearned run, four hits and no walks while striking out one.
The 6-foot-6 righty posted a a 5.43 ERA in 27 outings, 22 of them starts for the Triple-A Durham Bulls. McGee isn’t a huge strikeout pitcher, he had a 17.4% strikeout rate in the minors this past season.
The long ball was a concern for the righty, he surrendered 24 home runs this year.
One positive for McGee is he doesn’t walk many batters. The Kentucky native posted a 1.6 BB/9 innings this season, which is one of the best in the minors.
McGee’s 4.3% walk rate in Triple-A this season ranked second among International League pitchers with at least 100 innings pitched, per FanGraphs.
He features a five pitch mix, sinker, slider, cutter, changeup, and a four-seam fastball.
The Rays originally selected McGee in the fourth round of the 2016 amateur draft out of Hopkinsville High School. He elected to forgo his commitment to the University of Kentucky and signed with the Rays for $673,700.
McGee will turn 25 this December, he comes to the Red Sox with club control and he has three minor-league option years remaining. It’s likely that the Red Sox could designate him similar to the Rays off the 40-man roster. This would come with the hope to pass him through waivers and be retained as a non-member of the 40-man roster.
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