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Richard Fitts

For the American actor, see Rick Fitts.
Richard Fitts
Boston Red Sox – No. 80
Pitcher
Born: (1999-12-17) December 17, 1999 (age 25)
Helena, Alabama, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 8, 2024, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record0–1
Earned run average1.74
Strikeouts9
Teams

Richard Logan Fitts (born December 17, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.

Amateur career

Fitts grew up in Helena, Alabama, and attended Helena High School. As a senior, he had a 6–5 win–loss record with a 1.68 earned run average (ERA) and 102 strikeouts in 74+2⁄3 innings pitched.[1]

Fitts enrolled at Auburn University to play college baseball for the Auburn Tigers. He began seeing more consistent playing time towards the end of his 2019 freshman season and made two appearances in the College World Series,[2][3][4] finishing the year with a 5.31 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 62+2⁄3 innings pitched.[5] Fitts made six appearances as a sophomore in 2020, with a 1–0 record and a 2.77 ERA with 16 strikeouts before the season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.[6][7] Fitts entered his junior season on the watchlist for the Golden Spikes Award.[8] He finished the season with a 1–3 record, a 5.88 ERA, and 41 strikeouts over 41+1⁄3 innings. That summer, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[9]

Professional career

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees selected Fitts in the sixth round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.[10] He signed with the team and made his professional debut in 2022 with the Single–A Tampa Tarpons. After pitching to a 5.01 ERA in 17 starts, he was promoted to the High–A Hudson Valley Renegades, where he recorded an 0.55 ERA in five starts.[11] He won the 2023 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year Award with the Double–A Somerset Patriots after logging an 11–5 record and 3.48 ERA with 163 strikeouts across 27 starts.[12]

Boston Red Sox

On December 5, 2023, the Yankees traded Fitts, Greg Weissert, and Nicholas Judice to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Alex Verdugo.[13] Entering the 2024 season, he was ranked as the Red Sox' number 11 minor-league prospect by Baseball America.[14] He began the year with the Triple–A Worcester Red Sox, compiling a 9–5 record and 4.17 ERA with 111 strikeouts over 24 games (23 starts).[15]

On September 8, 2024, Fitts was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[16]

References

  1. ^ Bean, Josh (June 19, 2018). "Meet the 2018 All-Birmingham Baseball Team". AL.com. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. ^ Blum, Sam (April 19, 2019). "Auburn pitcher Richard Fitts stepped up when team needed it most". AL.com. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  3. ^ "Fitts stepping up his game for Auburn baseball this fall". Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  4. ^ "Freshman pitcher Richard Fitts may hold key to Auburn's hopes of reaching College World Series". Montgomery Advertiser. June 10, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  5. ^ "Richard Fitts transforms into a draft prospect". January 31, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  6. ^ "Auburn baseball: How a homemade pitcher's mound put Richard Fitts on path to potential breakout". Montgomery Advertiser. February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  7. ^ "Ranking 2021 Breakout Candidates in College Baseball". Baseball America. December 14, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  8. ^ "Richard Fitts named to Golden Spikes watch list". February 19, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  9. ^ "Richard Fitts". pointstreak.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  10. ^ "New York Yankees pick Richard Fitts of Auburn baseball in Round 6 of 2021 MLB draft".
  11. ^ "2021 draft pick hopes to make moves in Yankees farm system".
  12. ^ Trezza, Joe. "The 2023 Double-A All-Stars and Award Winners". Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  13. ^ "Red Sox trade Alex Verdugo to Yankees for three pitchers". ESPN.com. December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  14. ^ Speier, Alex (April 1, 2024). "A look at the Red Sox' full-season minor league affiliates and the top prospects at each level". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  15. ^ "Red Sox Designate Bobby Dalbec For Assignment". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  16. ^ https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2024/09/red-sox-to-promote-richard-fitts-starter-from-alex-verdugo-trade.html
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