Kevin Shackelford

{{Infobox MLB player

|name=Kevin Shackelford

|image=210430 Shackelford.jpg

|image_size=250px

|caption=Shackelford with the Yokohama DeNA Baystars

|team=

|number=

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1989|4|7}}

|birth_place=Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.

|debutleague=MLB

|debutdate=June 29

|debutyear=2017

|debutteam=Cincinnati Reds

|debut2league=NPB

|debut2date=April 23

|debut2year=2021

|debut2team=Yokohama DeNA BayStars

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = May 19

| finalyear = 2018

| finalteam = Cincinnati Reds

| final2league = NPB

| final2date = October 28

| final2year = 2021

| final2team = Yokohama DeNA BayStars

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 0–1

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 5.35

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 45

| stat2league = NPB

| stat21label = Win–loss record

| stat21value = 2-1

| stat22label = Earned run average

| stat22value = 3.80

| stat23label = Strikeouts

| stat23value = 47

|teams=

Cincinnati Reds ({{mlby|2017}}–{{mlby|2018}})
Yokohama DeNA BayStars ({{npby|2021}})

}}

Kevin Russell Shackelford (born April 7, 1989) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

College

Shackelford attended Marshall University, where he played college baseball for the Marshall Thundering Herd.{{cite web|url=http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x678484020/MU-baseball-opens-season-with-a-pair-of-wins |title=MU baseball opens season with a pair of wins |publisher=The Herald-Dispatch |date=February 21, 2009 |access-date=December 14, 2013}}{{cite news |last1=Buchanan |first1=Zach |title=Cincinnati Reds' Kevin Shackelford goes from college catcher to MLB reliever |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2017/06/29/shackelford-goes-college-catcher-mlb-reliever/437945001/ |access-date=August 24, 2018 |work=Cincinnati Enquirer |date=June 29, 2017}} He played as a catcher for his first two seasons at Marshall, batting .095/.156/.119 in 2008, and hitting .226/.280/.321 in 2009.[http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?ID=144845 Kevin Shackelford – The Baseball Cube] He then became a pitcher.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/brewers-prospect-kevin-shackelford-converts-from-decent-catcher-to-mlb-caliber-pitcher/c-68696774|title=What a difference 60 feet, 6 inches makes|work=Major League Baseball|access-date=April 9, 2015}} In 2010 he was 1–1 with a 7.50 ERA in 19 games.

Career

=Milwaukee Brewers=

The Milwaukee Brewers selected Shackelford in the 21st round of the 2010 MLB Draft.{{cite web |last=Vingle |first=Mitch |url=http://www.wvgazette.com/Sports/201006081137?page=2&build=cache |title=Bradley drafted in 2nd round - Sports - The Charleston Gazette - West Virginia News and Sports |publisher=Wvgazette.com |date=June 8, 2010 |access-date=December 14, 2013 |archive-date=December 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213225951/http://www.wvgazette.com/Sports/201006081137?page=2&build=cache |url-status=dead }} He signed and made his professional debut with the AZL Brewers of the Arizona League in 2010, and went 1–2 with a 5.40 ERA.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=shacke001kev Kevin Shackelford Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History | Baseball-Reference.com] The next season for the Helena Brewers in the Advanced Rookie Pioneer League, he was 3–5 with a 4.15 ERA.

Playing for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Class A Midwest League in 2012, the Timber Rattlers won the Midwest League championship, with Shackelford logging a 4.06 ERA in 27 appearances. In 2013, Shackelford split the season between the High-A Brevard County Manatees of the Florida State League and the Double-A Huntsville Stars of the Southern League, posting a 2–4 record and 3.08 ERA in 44 games between the two teams. After the 2013 season, the Brewers assigned Shackelford to the Arizona Fall League, where he was a member of the championship-winning Surprise Saguaros.{{cite web|author=Adam McCalvy |url=http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/print.jsp?ymd=20131119&content_id=64038992&c_id=mil |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053926/http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/print.jsp?ymd=20131119&content_id=64038992&c_id=mil |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |title=Flying leap twice as nice for Brewers prospects |publisher=Milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com |date= |access-date=December 14, 2013}} On November 20, 2013, the Brewers added Shackelford to their 40-man roster.{{cite web|url=http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article/cin/reds-add-four-players-reach-limit-on-40-man-roster?ymd=20131120&content_id=64077788&vkey=news_cin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203005104/http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article/cin/reds-add-four-players-reach-limit-on-40-man-roster?ymd=20131120&content_id=64077788&vkey=news_cin |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |title=Reds add four, reach limit on 40-man roster |work=MLB.com|date=November 20, 2013 |access-date=December 14, 2013}} Shackelford was assigned to Huntsville to begin the 2014 season. He was designated for assignment on July 17, 2014, to make room on the 40-man roster for Irving Falu, without having appeared in a major league game for Milwaukee.{{cite web|url=http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x720301724/Shacklefords-future-in-hands-of-Brewers|title=Shackleford's future in hands of Brewers|work=The Herald-Dispatch|date=17 July 2014 |access-date=April 9, 2015}} He was outrighted to Huntsville on July 19.

=Cincinnati Reds=

After the 2014 season, the Brewers traded Shackelford alongside Barrett Astin to the Cincinnati Reds to complete an August 31 trade for Jonathan Broxton.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/11505135/cincinnati-reds-get-kevin-shackelford-barrett-astin-cap-jonathan-broxton-trade|title=Cincinnati Reds get Kevin Shackelford, Barrett Astin to cap Jonathan Broxton trade|work=ESPN.com|date=11 September 2014|access-date=April 9, 2015}} In 2015, Shackelford spent the year with the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos, logging a 2–4 record and 3.72 ERA in 35 appearances. In 2016, he split the season between Pensacola and the Triple-A Louisville Bats, accumulating a 2–2 record and 2.03 ERA in 35 games between the two teams. Shackelford elected free agency following the season on November 7, 2016.{{Cite web|title=Minor League Free Agents 2016|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2016/|access-date=August 1, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 8, 2016 |language=en}} On November 21, Shackelford re–signed with the Reds organization on a new minor league contract.{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/minor-league-transactions-nov-19-dec-1/|title=Minor League Transactions: Nov. 19-Dec. 1|last=Eddy|first=Matt|work=baseballamerica.com|date=December 5, 2016|access-date=December 7, 2016}} He was assigned to Louisville to begin the 2017 season.

The Reds promoted Shackelford to the major leagues for the first time on June 27, 2017.[http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2017/06/29/shackelford-goes-college-catcher-mlb-reliever/437945001/ Cincinnati Reds' Kevin Shackelford goes from college catcher to MLB reliever]{{Cite web|url=http://www.wvgazettemail.com/sports/20170627/roundup-reds-calls-up-ex-marshall-player-kevin-shackelford|title = Roundup: Reds calls up ex-Marshall player Kevin Shackelford| date=27 June 2017 }} He made his major league debut on June 29 allowing 4 earned runs in {{fraction|2|2|3}} innings against his former team, the Milwaukee Brewers. In 26 games in his rookie year for the Reds, Shackelford was 0–0 with a 4.70 ERA. Shackelford appeared in 5 games for Cincinnati in 2018, but struggled to a 7.88 ERA in 8 innings of work. The Reds released Shackelford on June 5, 2018.{{cite news |last1=Fay |first1=John |title=Cincinnati Reds release Kevin Shackelford, option Jackson Stephens to clear roster spots for Anthony DeSclafani |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2018/06/05/shackelford-released-stephens-optioned-clear-roster-spots-cincinnati-reds-right-hander-descl/674414002/ |access-date=August 24, 2018 |work=Cincinnati Enquirer |date=June 5, 2018}}

=Yokohama DeNA BayStars=

On November 21, 2020, after spending two and a half years out of baseball, Shackelford a one-year contract with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball as a developmental squad player (:ja:育成選手制度 (日本プロ野球)).{{cite web | url=https://www.baystars.co.jp/news/2020/11/1121_01.php | title=2021年シーズン育成選手契約について | work=横浜DeNAベイスターズ公式サイト | language=ja | date=November 21, 2020 | access-date=February 9, 2021}} On April 23, 2021, Shackelford signed a contract with the BayStars as a registered player under management. (:Ja:支配下選手登録){{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/202104230000253.html|title=Nikkan Sports baseball news DeNAシャッケルフォード支配下登録「ワクワク」18年イチローから三振|language=ja-JP|work=Nikkan Sports|date=April 23, 2021|accessdate=May 27, 2021}} On April 24, he made his NPB debut.{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/202104240000650.html|title=Nikkan Sports baseball news 最速154キロ！DeNAシャッケルフォード初登板 1回を無安打無失点|language=ja-JP|work=Nikkan Sports|date=April 24, 2021|accessdate=May 27, 2021}} He became a free agent following the season.