Even as spring training gets underway, with pitchers starting organized workouts on Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox have not stopped making moves, going all the way down to the bottom of the farm system. Sometimes those moves seem to come out of nowhere. That’s exactly what the Red Sox did this week, giving a contract to a little-known pitcher who spent five seasons pitching at an NCAA Division III school.
Harrison “Harry” Blum went undrafted in 2025, his final year of college eligibility, and the only one spent out of Division III. For his last season, Blum transferred from Luther College — a small school in Decorah, Iowa, with fewer than 1,400 students, to Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota — a school with about 2,400 students.
Competing in Division II, Augustana’s teams are called the Vikings, so Blum stuck with a theme, transferring from the Luther Norse.
Why the Red Sox decided to sign Blum, giving the 25-year-old a minor league contract, is not entirely clear. If he develops into a genuine prospect, it will certainly be a testament to Boston’s scouting operation. But the most obvious reason Blum may have interested Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is his size. Blum stands 6-foot-7, with a weight listed at 240 pounds.
Red Sox Preference for Big-Bodied Pitchers
Since Breslow took over Red Sox baseball operations from Chaim Bloom after the 2023 season, the Boston organization has shown a clear preference for pitchers who stand above the MLB average of 6-foot-4.
Boston ace Garrett Crochet stands 6-foot-6 at 245 pounds. Offseason trade acquisition Johan Oviedo tips the scales at 275 pounds while also standing 6-foot-6.
The Red Sox top pitching prospect Payton Tolle is another 6-foot-6 hurler, at 250 pounds. Ryan Watson, a Rule 5 draft acquisition, stands 6-foot-5, 225 pounds. And so on.
According to Section 10 podcast co-host Tyler Milliken, who reported the signing on his social media, Blum “added 4-5 mph over the last eight months,” which also caught the eye of Red Sox scouts. According to one report, Blum throws a four-seam fastball at 97 mph.
Blum ‘Never Quit on Himself’
Blum graduated from Luther College in the Class of 2024 but, due to NCAA eligibility rules after the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, was able to take an extra year of eligibility, which he used in one season at Augustana. In 17 appearances, including three starts, for the Vikings, the towering right-hander recorded five wins against just two losses, coming out of the bullpen for four saves.
“Harrison never quit on himself,” his Luther Norse coach Bryan Nikkel told the college’s newspaper. “He had a dream and continued to go for it. We all get told our career is over at some point, but Harrison didn’t listen.”
Blum also expressed excitement at getting a shot at professional baseball.
“I am excited for another opportunity to continue to push myself further in this game we all love,” Blum told the school paper. “There is a ton of talent within the Red Sox organization and I’m looking forward to being a part of this historic franchise.”
How far an undrafted free agent who has faced only lower-level college hitters will fare in the professional ranks remains to be seen. While Blum is certainly a long shot, his improbable story should be one to follow for Red Sox fans.
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