Red Sox pitching prospect Richard Fitts impresses in final outing of spring

Finishing with 54 pitches (33 strikes), Fitts induced a game-high seven whiffs and was credited with the winning decision. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound righty threw 25 sliders, 20 four-seam fastballs, and nine changeups while averaging 93.9 mph and topping out at 95.8 mph with his heater, according to Baseball Savant.

One of three pitchers acquired from the Yankees in the December trade that sent Alex Verdugo to New York, Fitts is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 11 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks third among arms in the organization behind only Wikelman Gonzalez and Luis Perales. The Alabama native was originally selected by the Yankees in the sixth round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Auburn and is coming off a 2023 season in which he posted a 3.48 ERA (3.92 FIP) with 163 strikeouts to 43 walks over 27 starts (152 2/3 innings) for New York’s Double-A affiliate.

On the heels of earning Eastern League Pitcher of the Year honors, Fitts was dealt to the Red Sox alongside Greg Weissert and Nicholas Judice. Identified by chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and Co. as someone who could strengthen an area of need in the minor-league pipeline, Fitts took part in the club’s rookie development program back in January and pitched three innings of relief for Boston in its inaugural Spring Breakout matchup against the Braves at JetBlue Park earlier this month.

With his first-ever big-league spring training start in the books, Fitts will now report to Triple-A Worcester and open the 2024 campaign in the WooSox’ starting rotation. His first start of the season could come as soon as this Sunday, when Worcester wraps up a three-game weekend series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Pa.

At this point in time, it remains to be seen if Fitts — who does not turn 25 until December — will be able to stick as a starter or ultimately move to the bullpen in the long run. He can nevertheless become Rule 5-eligible for the first time later this year, meaning the Red Sox would need to add him to their 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November in order to prevent that from happening.

Based on the early returns, though, Fitts could very well make his major-league debut this season depending on how things shake out for the Red Sox. How he fares with the WooSox out of the gate will certainly be worth monitoring.