Before fireworks show, Eyanson creates his own by hitting 100 for first time

SARASOTA, Fla. – After No. 10 Red Sox prospect Anthony Eyanson lit up the night with a series of high-voltage offerings – including one that topped 100 mph – in Friday’s 3-1 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles, he went back to the Ed Smith Stadium bullpen after the game to throw a few more pitches.

After about eight throws, he had to cut it short for a fireworks show.

As Eyanson walked back to the field to meet with a couple of reporters, fireworks were flying in the background.

It was a coincidence, but a strangely fitting one. The third of the three SEC pitchers that the Red Sox selected within the first three rounds of the 2025 Draft, Eyanson has been working doggedly in pursuit of more velocity.

All that work paid off in the ultimate prospect setting on Friday, as the former LSU star’s pitch to José Pená in the bottom of the eighth inning purred in at 100.2 mph. Another one of his pitches zipped in at 99.9 mph.

“This is the reward for all the hard work, understanding that my work is going to allow me to be confident on the mound in everything,” said Eyanson. “It just really took over tonight, which was really cool.”

It was the first time the righty has had triple digits in a game setting, and he will now be the new recipient of a “Fuego” T-shirt that the Red Sox give to all pitchers who register 100 for the first time.

“I heard the dugout cheering a little bit, so I had a feeling,” said Eyanson. “I turned and looked and I saw it. So it's pretty cool.”

The bump in velocity could tilt the wheel significantly for a pitcher who also has pitchability.

“He’s just bought in,” said Double-A Portland pitching coach Juan Rivera. “He’s just bought into everything – pitch design, velo, command work, what's happening in strength and conditioning and the training room. That kid checks every box in every department, and we're seeing it there. It was awesome. It was fun to watch. I was glad that finally others got to see it at that level.”

Of Eyanson’s 14 pitches, 10 were for strikes.

“That was ideal for me,” Eyanson said. “Obviously, I wanted to show off what I've been working on as far as the fastball and the splitter, and I feel like I did that tonight. Just continue to get better. That’s my goal.”

How has Eyanson been able to make improvements so swiftly?

“He's very athletic, so he's been able to make adaptations quickly. His training age is very young,” said Rivera. “He didn't get a ton of exposure to exotic types of training, and now that he is, he's so athletic that he's adapting very quickly. He’s done a great job since the second he got drafted.”

The environment of a prospect showcase game under the lights perhaps gave Eyanson that little extra oomph he needed to hit 100.

“Oooh, man, I haven't been in an environment like that since Omaha [for the College World Series], so it was a rush, for sure,” said Eyanson. “Really exciting. It felt great to be out there competing with all pitches, really feel myself expanding as a pitcher, being able to use that splitter when I fall behind, getting that arm-side action, giving me a lot more options, especially with the fastball carrying and being a lot harder now. It’s just a lot different.”

And on as big a stage as he has pitched on so far as a professional, Eyanson showed that he has the ability to be a difference-maker.