Blake Wehunt, a pitching prospect for the Red Sox, received recognition as the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the period spanning April 29 to May 5, as announced by Minor League Baseball on Monday.
In Low-A Salem’s 3-1 triumph over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Carilion Clinic Field on Sunday afternoon, Wehunt secured his maiden professional victory. The 23-year-old right-handed pitcher limited the Pelicans to just one hit while issuing no walks. Additionally, he struck out eight batters across five innings of scoreless pitching.
Although Wehunt encountered some adversity in the top of the fifth inning, notably hitting Miguel Pabon with a pitch, he adeptly navigated through the situation. Despite Pabon advancing to third base following a passed ball and balk, Wehunt remained composed and concluded the inning by striking out Christopher Paciolla on four pitches, thereby leaving Pabon stranded.
Wehunt’s impressive outing concluded with 75 pitches, 48 of which were strikes. During the game, he induced 14 swings-and-misses, enhancing his record to 1-0 for the season. Across four starts with Salem, the right-hander boasts a stellar 1.15 ERA and a 2.84 FIP. In 15 2/3 innings pitched, he has recorded 20 strikeouts while issuing eight walks, limiting opposing batters to a mere .148 batting average.
Ranked as the 38th prospect in the Red Sox farm system by SoxProspects.com, Wehunt is positioned 18th among pitchers in the organization. The Georgia native was drafted by the Red Sox in the ninth round of the 2023 amateur draft from Kennesaw State. Standing tall at 6-foot-7 and weighing 240 pounds, he throws from a three-quarters arm slot and employs a high leg kick in his delivery. Wehunt features a diverse three-pitch arsenal, including a fastball ranging from 93-94 mph (reaching up to 96 mph), a sweeping slider between 82-85 mph, and an 84-85 mph splitter.
With his promising performance in 2024, Wehunt, who won’t turn 24 until November, could potentially earn a promotion to High-A Greenville later this season. While he is projected as a multi-inning reliever in the long term, Wehunt currently contributes to Salem’s rotation alongside left-hander Noah Dean and right-handers Matt Duffy, Elmer Rodriguez, Luis Cohen, and Jedixson Paez.
