lengthy journey to the Red Sox
included overcoming a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, paying for an MRI on his elbow, laying down floors with his dad and pitching three years in Indy Ball.
Boston signed the left-handed pitcher Aug. 16 out of the independent Pioneer League, then assigned him to High-A Greenville.
“The situation we were in, we were needing a starter,” Greenville manager Iggy Suarez said. “We had heard they (baseball operations) had been looking to go the independent route. We’re like, ‘OK. we’re just going to need a body to kind of fill in because we’re struggling right now.’ … But then when he comes aboard, we’re like, ‘This guy was in independent ball?’ The stuff that he had — next thing you know he’s pitching Game 1 of the playoffs for us and he’s in the clinching game to win the championship for us.”
The 26-year-old Penrod turned heads with a 94-97 mph fastball, 85-89 mph power slider and changeup. He went 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA (20 ⅔ innings, five earned runs) and 1.31 WHIP in four regular season starts for Greenville. He then pitched in two of the Drive’s four playoff games. He earned wins in Game 1 of the Division Series against Hickory and Game 2 (the clincher) of the South Atlantic League championship vs. Hudson Valley.
“And he threw the home opener here in the fall league,” said Suarez, who managed the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League.
Penrod made four starts for Glendale and led all Arizona Fall League starters in ERA (1.29).
“For me, I told him I’m happy to be along for the ride,” Suarez said. “It was pretty cool to experience that. Everybody says the same thing. ‘He was in independent ball?’ I’m like, ‘I know. I don’t know how we got him but I’m glad we got him.’”
