SHEPHERD IS YOUNGEST PLAYER ON STAFF
PAWTUCKET — Chandler Shepherd is no stranger to being the young guy in the clubhouse.
At 24 years old, the Louisa, Ky. native Pawtucket Red Sox (Boston Red Sox Triple-A minor league affiliate) reliever is in his second year at the Triple-A level. Still, he is the youngest pitcher on the staff–much like how he was youngest player on Lawrence County High’s baseball team in 2007, when he was in seventh grade and was their starting second baseman.
“The older guys that were in high school at the time are still guys I’m friends with to this day,” he reflected of his high school career. “They took me in under their wing in the same way a lot of the older guys do here. It was a good experience to have when I was younger and I think it has helped me out here.”
“That doesn’t force you to do anything but hone your craft and get better,” he added.
A decade later, Shepherd is still an advanced arm for his age. After all, he received a surprise invite to major league Spring Training this past winter and was in contention for the final spot in the Red Sox bullpen during the final week of camp. Ultimately, Shepherd did not make the club, but he did log 10.1 innings in front of the big league coaching staff.
“It was just a good experience to be around those older guys and learn a lot about the game,” he said. “I think I made a good first impression and I’m hoping to carry that with me.”
Sure, Shepherd did not crack the big league roster out of camp, but since the Triple-A team acts as a taxi squad, providing depth for the major league club, his goal is to reach the big leagues this season.
Through seven outings with the PawSox this season, Shepherd is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 10 ⅓ innings. Despite batters hitting just .205 off him, he has allowed eight runs on only eight hits. Per usual, however, he is racking up strikeouts (16 thus far).
“He’s got a quick hand with all his pitches and they’ve got late life,” PawSox manager Kevin Boles said of Shepherd. “His curveball has depth. His cutter has a nice lateral and late break to it. When you attack the zone and make hitters feel uncomfortable because you’ve got them behind in the count, that’s where it starts with him.”
“He’s had a couple hiccups in the second innings of his outings,” Boles added, “but he’s a guy who can do short stints and long stints. We’re excited about his arm.”
Since becoming a pro ballplayer, Shepherd, who primarily started games his junior year at the University of Kentucky, has pitched almost exclusively in relief.
Often throwing in two-inning stints, Shepherd owns a 3.39 ERA in 98 career minor league outings; he has struck out 175 batters in as many innings.
“It’s the same to me,” he said, of starting and relieving. “At the core of it, it’s just pitching. I did a lot of relief outings in college too, so it wasn’t that unfamiliar to me.”
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Tom Joyce — Freelance Sports Writer
…for TheLevisaLazer.com
