Connelly Early makes long-awaited Nationals debut, figures to be ‘huge part’ of team’s 2027 rotation plans

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Connelly Early gave a simple point to Brady House as he walked off the mound.

Though he’s shown in his brief time with the Nationals that he can be one of the boys and bust out a laugh or joke, Early is businesslike on the mound. Even at the end of his first start since June 30, coincidentally against the Nationals, the left-hander maintained his steely disposition, which is apropos given Early’s background.

He comes from a military family and enrolled at West Point. His dream was to continue his family’s lineage by serving his country in the Army. But once baseball went from a hobby to a legitimate career path, and his coach Jim Foster left for Northwestern in 2020, he transferred to the University of Virginia after two years at West Point.

But Early’s military background is evident in his demeanor. He’s driven, determined and disciplined. He’s a fastidious worker who adheres to his routine, which has allowed him to maximize his talents.

As the Nationals head into an offseason when finding pitching is the focal point, Early figures to slot into one of the rotation spots. He returned in Saturday’s 7-1 loss to the New York Mets after missing nearly three months with elbow inflammation, throwing three scoreless innings with a strikeout.

“I felt pretty calm and collected out there,” Early said. “Just excited to get back out there and be able to throw again. Obviously, been a little bit of time, but to pitch in a big league game after all that time and all the work that I put in with all these guys having my back is pretty special.”

Manager Blake Butera said Early looked healthy, getting ahead of hitters. Butera had a big smile as he discussed Early’s outing in what the organization hopes is just a glimpse of what’s to come. Since being acquired from Boston at the trade deadline for infielder Curtis Mead, Early has made his presence felt with his workmanlike mentality, which he’s had since his Boston days.

“When we got in front of him [in Boston] and told him, ‘Hey, here’s the game plan over the course of the next year,’” president of baseball operations Paul Toboni, who was with Early in Boston, said in a phone call, “he was like, ‘OK, like, not only do I completely understand it but I’m gonna get after it. He’s obviously in the spot now where he’s coming back from his injury. I think he’s still finding himself a little bit, but he treats it no differently. He’s like, ‘OK, like, what’s the next thing I need to tackle? OK, I’m gonna go tackle [it].’”

Drafted in 2023, Early became one of the most devout workers in the Red Sox’s farm system. His development was proof the revamped pitching infrastructure was working.

Under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, the Red Sox implemented a rigorous post-draft camp and offseason training programs dedicated to increasing strength and velocity. Early and other draftees headed to the club’s facilities in Florida for education and workouts that lasted roughly six weeks. Players learned about nutrition, pitch command and sequencing, and how to maximize the velocity gains.

Toboni said Early latched on to his plan because it provided his pathway to the majors. He compared Early’s disposition to Cade Cavalli’s, lauding Early for being attentive of his sleep quality and nutrition while in Boston.

His adherence to his routine culminated in Early starting a winner-take-all wild-card game against the Yankees last season. Though he allowed four runs (three earned) over 3 2/3 innings, he struck out six and walked one batter in front of a rowdy crowd at Yankee Stadium.

“When you see him on the mound, you’re like, ‘All right, this dude is like a stud competitor,” Toboni said. “You watch him in that Yankees playoff game, right? You’re like, man, people are yelling at him. It’s cold, all this stuff, and he’s going out there and attacking Aaron Judge and standing in [against] all these guys. Like, that’s what everyone sees, but then maybe you don’t see, you know, the smile he brings every day, and just the way he’s just a great dude and fun to be around.”

Early brought that attitude Saturday, facing a Mets lineup with formidable hitters. He touched 94.2 mph on his sinker in the first inning and sat at 93.5 mph. For the Nationals to achieve their goal of making a postseason push next season, they’ll need guys to take strides on the pitching side. Entering Saturday, they ranked 26th in total staff ERA (4.68).

The 2027 free-agent crop isn’t deep with veteran starters, so the Nationals will likely have to scour the trade market or bank on improvement from within. Early is one of the pitchers they’re hoping can win one of those spots to bring consistency after Cavalli.

In acquiring Early, the Nationals believe they added a talented young pitcher who can continue to develop. Under the new regime, the Nationals have placed importance on the types of people they bring into the organization.

“Just given what he’s done, obviously before coming over here, he’s going to be a huge, huge part of this,” Butera said. “We’re really excited about what he’s going to bring to us.”

Early said his stuff was “all right” but his pitch shapes were in a good spot. He said his pitch location could’ve been better — particularly with his fastball at the top of the strike zone — but just returning to the mound is a big step heading into an important offseason for him and the organization. Strengthening his body will be an emphasis.

It’s foolhardy to take away much from Early’s outing Saturday. It’s more salient that he took the mound again. But he’s the type of pitcher and teammate the organization needs to continue adding and developing for the Nationals to take the next step in their rebuilding efforts.

“I’m super excited,” Early said of the team’s outlook. “Obviously, made some really big jumps this year. Offense has been insanely good, and the pitching has been working their ass off. So they haven’t taken anything lightly, and obviously haven’t had the best year. And we hope to go out there and win a lot more games next year.”

This article has been updated.