Caleb Leys is officially going pro!
The Middletown, Rhode Island native and University of Maine pitching ace was selected Monday morning by the Detroit Tigers in the fourth round of the 2025 MLB Draft — 129th overall — with a signing bonus well north of $500,000
It’s a big payday for Leys, who just wrapped up a dominant redshirt junior season and a remarkable comeback from Tommy John surgery in 2024.
Leys earned America East Pitcher of the Year honors after leading the conference with a microscopic 2.44 ERA in the regular season — more than a full run better than the next guy. In conference play, he posted a ridiculous 1.10 ERA across eight starts, held batters to a .224 average, and struck out 50.
He finished the season with a 5-2 record over 14 starts, racking up 74 strikeouts in 67 innings. He allowed just 20 earned runs and cut his walk rate nearly in half, issuing only 27 free passes. His 2.69 overall ERA led the league.
After surgery sidelined him in 2024, Leys came back stronger than ever, slashing his ERA from 4.94 to 2.69 and cementing his status as one of the top arms in the region. MLB.com’s Sam Dykstra named him Maine’s top draft prospect, praising his 96 mph fastball and devastating low-80s slider and changeup combo.
Over his Black Bears career, Leys racked up 214 strikeouts in 204 innings with a 4.10 ERA. He broke out in 2022 with America East All-Rookie Team honors and delivered one of his most clutch performances in 2023, spinning eight innings of one-run ball in the conference semifinals to help Maine punch its ticket to the Coral Gables Regional.
Now, with a six-figure bonus in hand and pro scouts already buzzing, Leys has a chance to rise through the Tigers’ farm system and chase his MLB dream — all the way from Aquidneck Island to the Motor City.
Watch out, Detroit. Middletown’s finest is coming for you.
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