'We will keep giving him chances in high leverage spots'; Ryan Zeferjahn has WooSox manager's trust

Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald

It looked like video game numbers every single time you checked a box score for the Portland Sea Dogs when Red Sox pitching prospect Ryan Zeferjahn entered into games.

Boston’s third round draft pick in the 2019 MLB draft blew away competition in the seven games he appeared in. He threw 13.2 innings and allowed 0 earned runs. He struck out 22 batters and only walked 3. On top of the early success, Zeferjahn always lives around 98 MPH on his heater.

That combination earned him a promotion to Triple-A Worcester last week and he has impressed his manager just a few outings into his WooSox tenure.

“He has been awesome,” WooSox manager Chad Tracy said of Zeferjahn. “He gave up a couple of runs in his first outing during his first inning but there was a groundball to first and we kicked it for an error. There was also a swinging bunt right in front of the plate and he couldn’t get a grip on it when he picked it up and didn’t end up throwing it to first. That’s how the inning started and the runs came because of that. He was really good the second inning he threw.”

He ended up giving up three hits over those two innings and walked a guy. He also struck out two in the outing.

“That was a very low leverage where we were already losing and let’s get his feet wet in Triple-A moment,” Tracy added. “We also put him into a 4-1 game his next outing where we were winning and brought him in with a man on base in the 8th inning and he got five outs to pick up a save and was very good that night.”

The 26-year-old was back to his unhittable ways just like he had been when he was down in Portland. He struck out three over the two inning save in a high leverage spot. Those are spots Red Sox fans should get used to seeing Zeferjahn get his name called for.

“The velocity is there, and the slider looks good,” Tracy said. “He is in the strike zone as advertised from Double-A. Everything is around the box. I am hopeful we got a good one there and we will keep giving him some chances in tight spots and see how he responds.”

Zeferjahn appeared in his third Triple-A outing on Wednesday where he escaped a three walk outing in route to a scoreless inning of work. The velocity was still there as he threw some of the hardest pitches in Triple-A.

The right-hander has a chance to be a legit middle relief option for the Red Sox if he shows his transition to Worcester is a success and his numbers in Portland to start the season were no fluke.