Zach Penrod, a 27-year-old left-hander who spent three years in an independent league, has been drafted by the Boston Red Sox and could potentially make his big league debut.
Boston acquired Worcester’s Zach Penrod on Saturday and recalled left-hander Bailey Horn from the Triple-A farm team. Left-hander Cam Booser and right-hander Zack Kelly were sent to Worcester after Friday night’s 5-4 loss to the New York Yankees, and catcher Tyler Heineman was designated for assignment.
Penrod’s wife, Kyla, and his week-old daughter, Noa Mae, were expected at Yankee Stadium.
Penrod played for Corban, an NAIA school, in 2017 and the following year as an outfielder and pitcher for NCAA Division II Northwest Nazarene in Idaho. He signed with Texas as an undrafted free agent in August 2018, missed 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and was released in June 2020, a year the minor league season was canceled because of the pandemic.
He spent parts of 2021 and 2022 in Billings and then started 2023 with fellow Pioneer Leaguer Missoula. Boston signed him to a minor league contract on August 16 of last year, and two days later he pitched five scoreless innings for Class A Greenville.
Penrod had a 2.18 ERA in four starts for the Drive, and Boston sent him to the Arizona Fall League. He began this season at Double-A Portland, was promoted to Worcester on May 26, and had a 5.93 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 27⅔ innings in five starts and 10 relief appearances at Triple-A, missing between June 6 and July 26 with left tibia inflammation.
His fastball averaged 94.7 mph this year at Triple-A, and on August 16 he hit 98.9 mph with a pitch in the sixth inning.
