With the 177th overall pick in the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft, the Red Sox selected Blake Aita, a right-handed pitcher from Kennesaw State University. Aita was not ranked in Baseball America's Top 500 or MLB Pipeline's Top 250, but he did slot in as the 496th-ranked prospect by Perfect Game USA.
Standing at 6-foot-4, Aita is a draft-eligible sophomore who turned 21 last month. The MLB.com broadcast noted that Aita is likely an analytics-driven pick, as he has high spin rates on his fastball and breaking ball. He was a starter for Kennesaw State this year, where he pitched to a 3.90 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 85 1/3 innings. He was an All-Atlantic Sun First Team selection. He also played in the Cape Cod League last summer, striking out 22 over 19 innings for Yarmouth-Dennis.
The consensus from scouting reports is that Aita will fit in a reliever role long-term as he heavily relies on two pitches and has a somewhat violent delivery. His fastball typically sits in the low 90s and touches 93. While not being ranked by most major publications, Aita does have some leverage as a draft-eligible sophomore that will affect his ultimate signing bonus. The slot amount for the 177th pick is $351,100.
Photo Credit: Blake Aita by ksuowls.com
