Fitts was a key reliever for Auburn as a freshman in 2019, throwing six shutout innings to beat Georgia Tech in the NCAA regional playoffs, winning the clincher against North Carolina in the super regionals and pitching well in two College World Series appearances. He remained in the bullpen during the shortened 2020 season but raised his profile significantly as a starter during summer play and fall practice. Viewed as a potential first-rounder, he instead has become an enigma after sustaining a foot injury in early March and pitching sparingly afterward.
After operating with a low-90s sinker as a reliever, Fitts began employing a four-seam fastball as a starter. He showed the ability to sit at 93-95 mph for several innings and reach 97 with quality vertical life on his heater last year and has mostly held that velocity in 2021. He has two promising secondary pitches, with his upper-80s changeup with some splitter action currently a more reliable option than his improving mid-80s slider, but both have regressed this spring.
Fitts' stuff has gotten better as he has grown into his 6-foot-3 frame, which is strong enough for him to handle a starter's workload. His arm action and delivery are sound, and he throws strikes with his entire arsenal. Adding to the package is his competitiveness, which draws as much praise as his stuff.
Fitts excelled during Auburn's fall practice as a junior and looked headed for the first round of the 2021 Draft, but he hurt his foot that March, barely pitched afterward and slid to the Yankees in the sixth round. He stayed healthy and thrived in first two pro seasons, earning Eastern League pitcher of the year accolades in 2023 after topping the Double-A circuit in wins (11), innings (152 2/3), strikeouts (163) and WHIP (1.14). New York packaged him with Greg Weissert and righty pitching prospect Nicholas Judice to get Alex Verdugo from the Red Sox at the Winter Meetings in December.
Both Fitts' fastball and slider play up because of their metrics and can be plus pitches at their best. His fastball sits at 92-95 mph and peaks at 98 with natural cut and ride as well as plenty of induced vertical break that creates carry up in the zone. The Yankees helped him add sweep to a mid-80s slider that he can morph into a harder cutter.
Fitts made progress with his upper-80s changeup last year, which is a bit firm but dodges barrels with its fade. With his clean arm action and a delivery that he repeats with ease, he has pounded the zone and averaged just 2.1 walks per nine innings in his first two years as a pro. He has the highest ceiling among Boston's pitching prospects as a decent bet to fit into the back of a rotation or become a multi-inning reliever.
After serving as a reliever in his first two years at Auburn, Fitts starred in fall practice as a junior and thrust himself into consideration for the first round of the 2021 Draft. But he injured his foot that March and barely pitched afterwards, so New York was able to grab him with a sixth-round pick and a slightly over-slot $346,800 bonus. He spent two successful seasons in the Yankees system before they sent him to the Red Sox as part of the Alex Verdugo trade at the 2023 Winter Meetings.
Fitts shows the potential for two plus pitches that have intriguing metrics. His 91-97 mph four-seam fastball features natural cutting and riding action, as well as quality induced vertical break that gives it tremendous carry up in the zone, while his 83-86 slider features the big sweep that the Yankees covet. He also can turn his slider into a harder cutter and occasionally will use an upper-80s two-seamer to give hitters a different look.
Fitts doesn't completely trust his fading mid-80s changeup, which shows promise but also needs more work. He has a sound arm action and a delivery that he repeats well, allowing him to pound the strike zone and average just 2.1 walks per nine innings in his first two years as a pro. The next step toward becoming a possible mid-rotation starter will be refining his command because he's hittable when he doesn't locate his pitches well.
A reliever in his first two seasons at Auburn, Fitts performed so well as a starter in fall practice as a junior that clubs viewed him as a potential first-rounder for the 2021 Draft. But he injured his foot that March and barely pitched afterward, allowing the Yankees to land him for fifth-round money ($346,800) in the sixth round. He has been knocked around in Single-A during his pro debut this year, but he also has shown the ability to miss bats and throw three pitches for strikes.
Working as a starter, Fitts has sat at 91-94 mph and topped out at 96 mph with his fastball, which features plenty of induced vertical break as well as cutting and riding movement. His slider parks in the low 80s with impressive sweep, giving him a second offering that should grade as solid or better in the future. He also throws a hard changeup in the mid-80s with some splitter action, and while it lacks consistency, it has the potential to become an average third offering.
Fitts has a sound arm action and delivery that allow him to pound the zone with his entire arsenal. Besides refining his stuff, he needs to improve his command because he gets hit when he doesn't locate his pitches effectively. Known for his competitiveness, he has the upside of a starter but also could develop into a late-inning reliever.
How this works: Every pitch is affected by the forces of gravity,
which means that every pitch drops on its way from the mound to the plate.
These numbers are reported with gravity, which makes them larger and
different than other pitch movement numbers you may have seen. Since gravity
requires time, and slower pitches aren’t ‘better’ just because they have
more time to move, the movement of a pitch is compared to ‘average’ movement
by comparing it to other MLB pitch types within +/- 2 MPH and from within
+/- 0.5 feet of extension and release.
Note: xHR tells how many of this pitcher's home runs allowed would have been out of other stadiums. The "Adjusted" view here accounts for different wall heights, distances and environmental effects using Statcast Park Factor data.
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Note: xHR tells how many of this pitcher's home runs allowed would have been out of other stadiums. The "Standard" view here accounts for different wall heights and distances but excludes environmental effects. It is based purely on the observed trajectory of the hit.
Note: xHR tells how many of this pitcher's home runs allowed would have been out of other stadiums. The "Adjusted" view here accounts for different wall heights, distances and environmental effects using Statcast Park Factor data.
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Note: xHR tells how many of this pitcher's home runs allowed would have been out of other stadiums. The "Standard" view here accounts for different wall heights and distances but excludes environmental effects. It is based purely on the observed trajectory of the hit.
! Note: Shifts are through the 2022 season, Shaded starting from the 2023 season, Shift:
three or more infielders are on the same side of second base, Shade: positioned outside of
their typical responsible slices of the field. Learn more about
how positioning is defined here