Red Sox select Matt Duffy with fourth-round pick

With the 115th overall pick in the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft, the Red Sox selected Matt Duffy, a right-handed pitcher out of Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. Duffy is ranked the draft's 474th prospect by Baseball America.

Duffy is a control specialist, walking 59 batters against 273 strikeouts in 211 2/3 innings in his three years at Canisius. He also has some deception, with something of a funky delivery that still allows for above-average extension. His fastball sits in the 88 to 92 range, occasionally touching 94, and he threw the pitch for strikes over 70 percent of the time in his junior season. He complements the fastball with a changeup and slider, of which the change is considered the better pitch. He was named the Canisius College male athlete of the year in 2023. 

The Toronto, Ontario, Canada native has also appeared for Bourne in the Cape Cod League in each of the past two summers. He was excellent in limited duty in 2022, making only four appearances but throwing eight shutout innings, surrendering only one hit, walking one, and striking out eight. In a repeat engagement with the Braves this year, he has made three starts, allowing three runs on nine hits in 14 1/3, striking out 16, and walking four. 

Duffy is committed to pitch for the University of South Carolina in 2024.