UK’s Chandler Shepherd skips senior year; signs with Red Sox…
UPDATE: Chandler Shepherd (Lawrence County, UK) pitched two shutout innings and was in line for the victory before Vermont rallied to defeat short-season Class A Lowell 8-7 in 11 innings.
Shepherd, who hasn’t given up a run in either of his appearances for the Boston Red Sox affiliate, has three strikeouts in three innings.
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Kentucky junior right-handed pitcher Chandler Shepherd has signed with the Boston Red Sox as the team’s 13th round pick.
Shepherd was included on the opening day roster of the Lowell Spinners, the Red Sox affiliate in the short-season New York-Penn League.As a junior, Shepherd was 5-5 with a 3.66 ERA and 56 strikeouts to go with 24 walks in 76 and one-third innings pitched. He made 16 appearances on the season, including nine starts, but missed time with a right forearm laceration.
Shepherd finished his UK career at 13-6 with a 3.45 ERA in 60 games.Shepherd joins first baseman and left-handed pitcher A.J. Reed (Astros, second round), center fielder Austin Cousino (Mariners, third round) and third baseman Max Kuhn (Athletics, 13th round) as junior Wildcats to sign with professional teams and forgo their senior seasons.
A native of Louisa, Ky., where he led Lawrence County to three state tournament appearences, Shepherd was drafted for the second time in his career, also going to the Chicago White Sox out of Lawrence County High School in 2011.