Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Neely attended the same high school as Rockies prospect Zac Veen, who was a first-round pick in 2020, but went undrafted in 2021 and headed to the University of Florida. He established himself as a reliable reliever and thrived as the Gators closer in 2023, saving 13 games. He’s largely pitched in relief again in 2024, though he’s been given some opportunities to start, with mixed results, leaving his Draft outlook somewhat cloudy.

While most of his collegiate work has come out of the bullpen, many scouts think his best chance at the next level might be as a back-end starter. His bulldog mentality and toughness on the mound stand out more than any of his individual offerings, but he could have a complete starter’s repertoire. While his fastball has been up to 96-97 mph, it’s averaged around 93 mph but misses bats with it thanks to its ride, especially when it’s up in the zone. His slider is his go-to secondary pitch, and the mid-80s breaker can be a tight out pitch with power. He has a curve he doesn’t use, though some think it could be very effective and he mixes in a solid average upper-80s changeup.

Neely has never had pinpoint command but tends to be around the plate. Some teams may decide to send him out as a starter and see if something clicks, though he’s lacked the consistency to be seen as a sure-fire future rotation member. He doesn’t necessarily have the kind of plus out pitch teams like to see coming out of the pen. He does tend to step up in bigger moments, something teams considering him on Day 2 of the Draft might be banking on regardless of what role he has.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40

Neely played at Spruce Creek HS (Port Orange, Fla.) with Rockies 2020 first-rounder Zac Veen and drew interest from scouts, but he went undrafted in 2021 because of his strong commitment to Florida. He led the Southeastern Conference with 13 saves as a sophomore, then began and finished last season as the Gators' closer while serving as their No. 1 starter in between. He came up huge in the postseason to help Florida reach the Men's College World Series before signing with the Red Sox for $700,000 as their third-round pick.

Neely relies heavily on his fastball, which sits at 92-95 mph and operates at 97, getting chases and missing bats thanks to its huge armside run and some carry. His mid-80s slider is more powerful than sharp, playing as an average pitch most of the time. He hasn't shown much feel for his upper-80s changeup, which is too firm and lacks consistent movement.

Operating with an up-tempo delivery with a short arm action, Neely doesn't look like a typical starter. He doesn't have any difficulty throwing strikes, however, and the Red Sox will put him in the rotation when he makes his pro debut in 2025. His repertoire, mechanics and competitiveness point to a long-term future in the bullpen.

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Spruce Creek High School in Florida produced 2020 first-round pick Zac Veen, now an outfielder in the Rockies system. This year, the program is producing another Draft talent, although one not being considered that highly. Neely is one of the better prep arms in the state of Florida, with plenty of projection to consider.

At his best, Neely has the chance to have a legitimate starter's repertoire, coming out of a 6-foot-3 frame. He’s maxed out with his fastball at 94 mph, though he’s typically been in the 88-92 mph range this spring. He’ll flash an above-average slider, but it’s fringy more often than not as he continues to work on repeating his release point out front. He doesn’t need his changeup much, but he shows some feel for it, and he mixes in an occasional slower curve that’s a distant fourth pitch.

Over the summer, the biggest worry with Neely was his inconsistent command, but he was more around the zone this spring at Spruce Creek. With a commitment to Florida, signability could come into play and he could develop into a top-two-rounds-type talent in a few years if he heads to pitch for the Gators.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	12/12/2024	RHP Brandon Neely assigned to FCL Red Sox.
	07/27/2024	Boston Red Sox signed RHP Brandon Neely.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated RHP Brandon Neely.
	06/29/2023	College Workout activated RHP Brandon Neely.
	06/26/2023	RHP Brandon Neely assigned to USAB Stripes Team.
	06/04/2021	High School Workout activated RHP Brandon Neely.
	06/17/2020	RHP Brandon Neely and assigned to PG National 5 - Green.