Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
USA TODAY Sports Media Group
Brandon Neely selected by Boston Red Sox in third round of 2024 MLB draft
By David Rosenberg,
12 hours ago
Florida right-hander Brandon Neely is set to begin his professional baseball career after being picked 86th overall by the Boston Red Sox in the 2024 MLB draft.
Neely was considered a likely Day 2 pick for most of the season, but a brilliant performance in the postseason moved him up most draft boards. Although he snuck outside of the first two rounds, Neely ended up a third-round selection with a slot value of $878,800. The Red Sox have a chance to sign him for a bit less, too.
He is the 222nd draft pick in Florida program history and the 107th pick of the Kevin O'Sullivan era. He’s also the 24th O’Sullivan-coached pitcher to go in the first five rounds.
Neely’s career at Florida
As a freshman, it looked like Neely would compete for a spot in the weekend rotation. He made 10 starts, mostly in the midweek but some in the postseason, across 21 appearances while maintaining a 3.76 ERA.
A move to the bullpen took some convincing, but Neely immediately became one of the conference’s best closers. He ended his sophomore campaign as the SEC leader in saves (13) and upped his strikeout rate to an elite 30.1%.
Neely saved his best performances for the final season of his Gators career, though. He delivered seven multi-inning performances in the NCAA Tournament, five of which were scoreless. He earned the win over Oklahoma State in Regionals and shut down Clemson in the Super Regionals.
Despite posting an elevated ERA of 5.13 in 2024, he somehow raised his strikeout rate to 31.4% and became more of a groundball pitcher, which pleases scouts.
Follow us@GatorsWireon X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page onFacebookto follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0