Red Sox Promote Fastest Rising Pitching Prospect To Triple-A

Boston Red Sox prospect Zach Penrod was pitching in independent baseball for the Missoula Paddleheads in 2023.

It took him just under a year to reach the doorstep of Major League Baseball.

The Red Sox promoted Penrod to Triple-A Worcester on Saturday, according to Josh Ball of Beyond the Monster. It’s just the latest step in an incredible rise for the 26-year-old, who holds a 2.80 ERA in 35 1/3 innings this season with Double-A Portland.

Chris Henrique confirmed the news, reporting he’d joined WooSox pitchers at Polar Park on Saturday afternoon.

Penrod was originally signed by the Texas Rangers as an undrafted free agent in 2018, though he was released after having Tommy John surgery in 2019. Penrod found his way back into baseball in 2021, pitching in multiple independent leagues before eventually being signed by the Red Sox.

Boston has plenty of success poaching pitchers from seemingly out of nowhere lately, with Cam Booser arriving to pitch well after spending multiple seasons out of baseball.

The Red Sox won’t have Garrett Whitlock available for the remainder of 2024, so perhaps a path has opened up for Penrod to get some innings in Boston at some point over the summer.