The number one ranked undrafted senior Cam Shepherd signs with the Atlanta Braves.
As undrafted free agents continue to find landing spots around MLB, one more comes off the board. Cam Shepherd was ranked number one by Baseball America, as the top senior not to be taken in this year’s five-round draft.
Born in Duluth, Georgia, Shepherd attended high school in Suwanee and college at the University of Georgia in Athens. He will continue to be true to his home state after signing a contract to play in the Atlanta Braves MiLB system.
Thankful and Excited pic.twitter.com/A6P63fpOE6
— Cam (@_CamShepherd) June 17, 2020
Shepherd was drafted twice previously, in the 29th round by the Boston Red Sox out of high school and in the 20th round by the Tampa Bay Rays following his junior year at Georgia.
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Shepherd is a light-hitting shortstop who banged out 22 career home runs to go along with a .262 average during his four years in college.
His bat isn’t why Shepherd was highly sought after though. He is the best defensive shortstop in all of college baseball, earning a Gold Glove as the top shortstop in Division I. During his time in Athens, Shepherd started 198 games and owns the single-season and career mark for fielding by a shortstop in team history.
Shepherd entered the draft this year as the 298th ranked played by Baseball America, and was not among the 160 players selected, giving him the rights to sign with whichever team he felt he was the best fit.
When the Atlanta Braves came a calling, the opportunity to play with an organization in the only state he has ever known was too much to pass on.
The Braves have signed all four of their draft picks and with the addition of Cam Shepherd have brought in six other undrafted free agents. They no doubt will continue to search for other players to fill out their system, as baseball works its way to being played in 2020.