Red Sox pitching prospect Blake Wehunt has been named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the week of April 29-May 5, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.
Wehunt picked up the first win of his professional career for Low-A Salem in its 3-1 victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Carilion Clinic Field on Sunday afternoon. The 23-year-old right-hander allowed just one hit and zero walks with one hit batsman and a season-high eight strikeouts over five scoreless innings of work.
After cruising through the first four innings of Sunday’s series finale, Wehunt ran into some trouble in the top of the fifth by plunking Miguel Pabon with two outs. One passed ball and balk later, Pabon advanced all the way to third base, but Wehunt left him there by punching out Christopher Paciolla on four pitches to retire the side.
Blake Wehunt's outing on Sunday:
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) May 6, 2024
5 IP, 8K, 1H, 0BB, 0ER, 44% Whiff
The 23-year-old righty has a 1.15 ERA over 15.2 innings. pic.twitter.com/57afqOXuDD
Finishing with 75 pitches (48 strikes), Wehunt induced 14 swings-and-misses en route to improving to 1-0 on the young season. In four starts for Salem now, the righty has posted a 1.15 ERA and 2.84 FIP with 20 strikeouts to eight walks over 15 2/3 innings in which he has held opposing hitters to a .148 batting average against.
Wehunt is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 38 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 18th among pitchers in the organization. The Georgia native was selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round of last year’s amateur draft out of Kennesaw State. He signed with the club for $100,000 and debuted in the Florida Complex League, making one scoreless appearance there as a reliever.
Standing at an imposing 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds, Wehunt throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. He operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 93-94 mph fastball that tops out at 96 mph, an 82-85 mph sweeping slider, and an 84-85 mph splitter, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report.
Wehunt, who does not turn 24 until November, could be a candidate for a promotion to High-A Greenville later this year if he shows his strong start to the 2024 campaign is no fluke. He projects as a multi-inning reliever in the long term but is currently part of an intriguing six-man rotation in Salem that is comprised of lefty Noah Dean and fellow righties Matt Duffy, Elmer Rodriguez, Luis Cohen, and Jedixson Paez.
