Red Sox pitching prospect Matt Duffy strikes out 10 in final start of season for Low-A Salem

In 22 appearances (21 starts) for Salem this season, Duffy posted a 2.83 ERA and 3.58 FIP with exactly 100 strikeouts to 27 walks over a staff-leading 98 2/3 innings. That includes a 1.05 ERA (2.25 FIP) with 47 strikeouts to eight walks in his last nine outings (43 innings) after the calendar flipped from June to July.

Among the 23 pitchers who threw at least 90 innings in the Carolina League this year, Duffy ranked second in ERA, fifth in WHIP (1.09), seventh in strikeout rate (24.9 percent) and xFIP (3.36), eighth in strikeouts per nine innings (9.12), walks per nine innings (2.46), walk rate (6.7 percent), and batting average against (.223), and 10th in FIP, per FanGraphs.

Duffy, who turns 23 next month, was selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round (115th overall) of the 2023 draft out of Canisius University in Buffalo, N.Y. The Ontario, Canada native had committed to transfer to South Carolina for his senior season but opted to sign with Boston for $350,000 instead. He made his professional debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League before first arriving in Salem last August.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and around 215 pounds, Duffy throws from a three-quarters arm slot and gets solid extension from his deceptive delivery. The righty primarily operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a fastball, changeup, and sweeping slider. As noted by MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith, Duffy’s fastball velocity increased throughout the season. He topped out at 95.3 mph with his heater against Kannapolis.

“My entire life I’ve been the guy who doesn’t throw the hardest but I throw strikes,” Duffy told Smith last month. “I’ve never really had a problem with not throwing strikes.”

Despite putting together an encouraging first full season in pro ball, Duffy is not currently ranked by publications such as SoxProspects.com as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system. He is, however, projected to make the jump to High-A Greenville in 2025.