- Baseball America Prospect Report
- Posts
- Connelly Early's Incredible MLB Debut
Connelly Early's Incredible MLB Debut
Plus: Brandon Sproat's upcoming debut, a savvy Dodgers deadline acquisition & more.
This newsletter is powered by:
Finlete lets fans invest in an athlete’s future earning potential, giving athletes upfront funding for training, support and living costs. You can support those athletes here.
Connelly Early, LHP, Red Sox: Early’s first MLB start was nothing short of spectacular. Thrust into the spotlight on short notice after Dustin May was placed on the injured list, the 23-year-old lefthander delivered a debut to remember—striking out 11 batters in a dominant outing. His performance tied Don Aase (1977) for the most strikeouts in a debut in Red Sox history. Early carved through the heart of the A’s lineup, punching out Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker and Jacob Wilson. He generated 19 whiffs on the day, leaning heavily on his sinker as his go-to putaway pitch.
Connelly Early, K'ing the Side in the 2nd.
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja)
2:44 AM • Sep 10, 2025
Jesús Made, SS, Brewers: What were you doing at 18 years old? For Made, it's making waves. The No. 3 prospect in baseball became the youngest player in Double-A this year after his ascension to Biloxi this week. After already conquering Low-A and High-A this season, Made is quickly acclimating to the next step in his journey. In his Double-A debut, he wasted no time making an impact—launching a two-run triple for his first hit, then following it up with a sharp single later in the game.
Jesús Made rips a triple to drive in two runs in his Double-A debut 🔥
MLB’s No. 3 prospect now has 60 RBIs across three levels this season 👀
(🎥@BiloxiShuckers)
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica)
1:42 AM • Sep 10, 2025
Leo De Vries, SS, Athletics: Another 18-year-old in Double-A, De Vries looks rejuvenated in the Texas League playoffs. In Game 1 of the South Division Series, De Vries blasted his second home run of the season at the Double-A level—a clutch shot that sparked comeback and helped the RockHounds secure a crucial victory. His timely power and steady presence continue to be key factors for Midland’s postseason push. De Vries now has 10 hits in his last 23 at-bats, including four extra-base hits, after he hit just .223/.319/.394 in August and going 7-for-42 in his first 11 games in Double-A.
Roki Sasaki, RHP, Dodgers: Exactly four months after his last start for the Dodgers, Sasaki returned to the mound for his fifth rehab outing and offered encouraging signs as he works his way back from a right shoulder impingement. Baseball America’s No. 1 prospect to begin the year struck out eight over 4.2 innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City. He was in control until the fifth inning, ultimately allowing three runs while issuing four walks. Perhaps more importantly, Sasaki's fastball velocity was up. He averaged 98.3 mph on his fastball and reached 100 mph six times. With his return to full health nearing, the Japanese pitching sensation appears close to rejoining the Dodgers. However, given the current logjam in the rotation, his most likely path back to the big league roster may come in a bullpen role.
Sal Stewart, 1B, Reds: Stewart only has 20 plate appearances since his callup on Sept. 1, but he showed his impact potential on Tuesday night. The 21-year-old jumped on the first pitch he saw from Padres starter Michael King for a 419-foot home run to straightaway center field. The ball left his bat at a blistering 106.7 mph, a no-doubt home run that underscored both his quick bat speed and natural strength. Stewart now has two homers through seven games. Though the sample size remains small, Stewart is proving that when he gets his pitch, he can do real damage.
Sal Stewart SMOKES his second major league homer 💣
The @RedsOnTheRise No. 4 prospect launched this one 419-feet to dead center 😤
(🎥@Reds)
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica)
2:04 AM • Sep 10, 2025
James Tibbs III, OF, Dodgers: Tibbs has bounced between three organizations this season, shuffled by a pair of trades that took him on a winding path through multiple farm systems. But he seems to finally be settling in with the Dodgers. The 22-year-old outfielder homered for the third straight game on Tuesday, extending a red-hot streak. With the regular season winding down, his late surge could be exactly what he needs to shift the narrative and finish the year on a high note.
Editor’s Picks
International Top Prospects: We ranked the top prospects in baseball from several countries on Tuesday. Check out the lists below:
Thomas White Isn’t Satisfied: Despite a very strong 2025 season, the Marlins lefthander is eyeing changes to his mechanics this offseason. Read more…
Baseball America Helium Pick Of The Day
Each day, we’ll pick a prospect that has our attention.
Kemp Alderman, OF, Marlins: In this week’s Statcast Standouts series, Eli Ben-Porat dives into an admittedly very small sample size of data for Alderman, who has the raw power to stack up with any prospect in baseball. There’s plenty under the hood that excites him, and he could be primed for a push up the Marlins’ list if he can sustain some of his in-game contact. Here’s why.
Quick Hits
Prospect news and notes from around baseball…
Cardinals first-rounder Liam Doyle is headed to Double-A Springfield.
After placing Kyle Tucker on the injured list, the Cubs recalled Moises Ballesteros. He ranks No. 32 on our Top 100.
Astros righty James Hicks struck out nine batters over five Double-A innings on Tuesday. The 24-year-old righty has punched out 21 hitters while allowing just four hits over his last 11 innings.
Similarly, Mariners switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje is cruising in Double-A. He struck out seven batters over six scoreless innings. He now has seven or more strikeouts in three of his last four starts, and a 3.03 ERA in 29.2 innings since his promotion to the upper minors.
The Robby Snelling train keeps humming and rolling along. The Marlins LHP struck out seven over six innings of one-run ball for Triple-A Jacksonville. He’s now 5-2, 1.38 with 74 strikeouts in 58.2 innings since his promotion to Triple-A, and he hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in a start since June 11 when he was still pitching for Double-A Pensacola.
In Case You Missed It