Red Sox pitching prospect Zach Penrod has been spectacular during his AFL run, potential candidate for the 40-man roster
Red Sox pitching prospect Zach Penrod burst onto the scene after signing with the organization this summer. Boston inked the left-hander out of Indy ball on Aug. 16, and he immediately shoved in four starts for Greenville down the stretch.
Penrod recorded a 2.18 ERA, yielding just five earned runs over 20 2/3 innings over four starts. He made two five inning appearances in the postseason, one start and one relief appearance.
The 26-year-old has been torching lineups in the Arizona Fall League, posting a 1.29 ERA over four starts. The Idaho native went from almost walking away from baseball to now being a potential Rule 5 draft candidate and he should see time with Double-A Portland next season.
“I’d already kind of come to grips with that, that it was going to be over, so it left me with the option of enjoying what was left of the year and seeing where that took me,” Penrod said to Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. “And it brought me here.”
Penrod was named an AFL All-Star, putting much deserved attention on the young hurler as he revitalizes his professional career.
“It’s been a whirlwind, it feels like things keep getting thrown at me and I’m just along for the ride,” Penrod said. “It’s crazy to think I was in Montana and all of a sudden I find myself in Arizona pitching in the Fall League, I’ve realized how quickly things can speed up on me and meeting those challenges is enjoyable.”
Penrod has been soaking up his experience in Arizona, calling the whole experience a dream come true.
"Otherworldly," Penrod said to MLB.com. "I just keep saying I'm in a dream just waiting to wake up. I'm just trying to enjoy every single moment that I get because you never know when you're going to put the uniform on for the last time."
The southpaw has impressed on the mound, his fastball sits around 92-94 mph and has topped out at 96 mph. Catcher Nathan Hickey has been impressed by Penroad’s heater and offspeed pitches.
The Red Sox will need to identify the prospects they’d like to protect ahead of deadline for the 40-man roster. The 40-man roster currently sits at 37 players and Wikelman Gonzalez, Luis Perales and Shane Drohan are expected to be protected before Tuesday’s deadline at 6 P.M.
Boston could designate other players for assignment to create room for Penrod. The likelihood that Penrod is added to the 40-man is low, the organization has other arms that are ahead of him on the pecking order. If Penrod continues to pitch at a high level like he has during last season and the AFL, he will continue to quickly rise through the system next season.
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