July 13, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Red Sox select Kyson Witherspoon with 1st round pick
For the first time since 2017, the Red Sox selected a pitcher with their first-round pick. Considered the top college right-hander in the class entering the draft, Witherspoon profiles as a polished starting pitcher who could move quickly through the farm system. He is coming off a season in which he pitched to a 2.65 ERA with 124 strikeouts and 23 walks in 95 innings with the Sooners. The 20-year-old Witherspoon spent one season at Northwest Florida State Junior College before transferring to Oklahoma in 2024 alongside his twin brother Malachi. He was ranked as the 7th-best draft prospect by Baseball America, 10th by ESPN, and 10th by MLB Pipeline. The slot value for the 15th pick is $5,114,200.
Witherspoon brings a high-octane fastball that sits 95-97 mph and tops out at 99. His fastball also generates excellent ride, averaging 18.9 inches of induced vertical break, and grades out as a 65 per MLB Pipeline and a 60 per Baseball America. Witherspoon also throws a cutter, slider, and curveball that profile as average-or-better pitches. After his fastball, Witherspoon throws his cutter the most often among his secondary offerings. His cutter sits in the 89-91 mph range. In his last season at Oklahoma, Witherspoon's cutter generated a 21 percent swinging strike rate, the highest of any pitch in his arsenal. He has thrown his slider as hard as 91 mph, and it sits in the mid-80s with solid horizontal break and depth. Witherspoon also adds a slower breaking pitch with a curve in the low 80s that brings 16.8 inches of vertical break and 10.7 inches of horizontal break. Finally, Witherspoon throws a changeup that grades out as a 45 per Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. His change sits around 90 mph but does not generate much depth at the moment.
Witherspoon’s athleticism, command profile, and impressive five-pitch mix give him a strong chance to stick as a starting pitcher, with potential to develop into a frontline starter.
Photo Credit: Kyson Witherspoon from Oklahoma University