Red Sox promote two southpaw pitching prospects in a flurry of moves
The Red Sox are continuing to promote players with the organization as the second half of the season rolls on.
Boston promoted left-handers Connelly Early to Double-A Portland and Noah Dean to High-A Greenville on Monday. This comes on the heels of right-hander David Sandlin’s promotion to the Sea Dogs.
Early is in his first full-season with the Red Sox organization, after he was drafted in the fifth round during the 2023 MLB draft.
This season, the lefty hurler is 1-6 with 90 strikeouts while posting a 3.72 ERA over 67 2/3 innings.
The Virginia native is listed at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds. He features a four-pitch mix, a low 90s fastball, sweeping slider, curveball, and changeup. According to SoxProspects, Early has the potential to be an organizational starter.
He is “durable and has solid pitch-ability, but the present stuff other than his changeup is fringy,” wrote SoxProspects.
Early will rejoin former college teammate Kyle Teel in Double-A. With the trade deadline looming on July 30, the Red Sox will likely promote Teel to Triple-A Worcester in the coming days.
Dean has been stellar this season for Low-A Salem. The New Jersey native has posted a 3.96 ERA and struck out 86 batters. While primarily working out of the rotation, Dean has held opponents to a .139 batting average after they hit .233 against him last season.
The 23-year-old has been primarily a starter for Salem this season, making 13 starts (15 games) and figures to join the Sea Dogs rotation.
In college, Dean worked mainly out of the bullpen; since being drafted, he has had to adjust to being a full-time starter.
"I honestly enjoy it more than being a reliever," Dean said to Beyond the Monster prior to his promotion. "I like being a starter because you have a structured week, knowing what you're going to be doing, when a mid-week bullpen is, what you're going to be working on, and ultimately knowing when you're going to throw.
“In college, they call your name, and it's like throw as hard as you can for an inning. I do enjoy having a starting role and knowing what I'm going to be able to do the entire week.”
