Royals select Shields in MLB draft
Kansas City picked David Shields, 17, of Mt. Lebanon in the second round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft. The left-handed pitcher was the 41st overall selection in the three-day event held July 14-16 in Fort Worth, Texas. He was the second pick in the second round because the Royals had traded the 39th pick to the Nationals.
“It was a very stressful hour or so of the draft but ended up being great,” Shields said. “Couldn’t have been happier with the result and it was a great moment that my family and I won’t ever forget.”
It was a spring day in April that made Shields unforgettable to MLB scouts, particularly those from the Kansas City organization. In pitching a complete game, Shields struck out 13 batters.
“After his start against Hempfield, some important people from (Kansas City’s) organization stuck around and talked with David at length,” said Lebo baseball manager Patt McCloskey. “That was the only time a team stuck around after a game to talk to him.”
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According to the KC organization, the “sky’s the limit” for Shields and the Royals offer “player development” to which he will be exposed. Shields has a good feel for his craft. He throws a lot of strikes and possesses three solid pitches.
His fastball has been clocked at 95 mph. His breaking ball is timed in the low-80s. His changeup rounds out his arsenal.
“The comments that the scouts continually made was ‘He has a really high floor’ which is their way of saying that he is already pretty advanced,” McCloskey said. “He actually has something there already. He’s not just projectable. Most importantly, they drafted a very mentally tough kid who will be able to handle the grind and the challenges that comes with playing professional baseball.”
Scholastically, Shields survived a grind that saw him accelerate his graduation. After a sensational sophomore season, he not only gave up being the starting quarterback on the football team, Shields reclassified to complete his high school studies in what would have been his junior year. He graduated this June and will not turn 18 until Sept. 9.
In two seasons, Shields compiled an 11-3 record. In 102 2/3 innings, he struck out 169 and scattered 46 hits. He led Mt. Lebanon to the district finals two years in a row, throwing a no-hitter in the 2023 WPIAL championships. He also pitched in the 2023 PIAA finals.
Despite battling mononucleosis this spring, Shields posted a 5-1 record, complete with a 0.96 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 35 innings. He led the Blue Devils to a section banner, an appearance in their third straight WPIAL title tilt and an 18-6 record.
Shields garnered a plethora of postseason honors. An all-state performer, he was named Gatorade’s Pennsylvania Baseball Player of the Year as well as Almanac and Observer-Reporter baseball MVP for the second year in a row.
“Despite being a high draft pick, David’s focus all year long was about the team winning, so he leaves a legacy of tremendous leadership,” McCloskey said. “I’m grateful that I had an opportunity to coach him for the last three years, and I can’t wait to follow his professional career.”
Although he had started classes at the University of Miami, Shields will postpone his college endeavors. He planned to travel to Arizona for a visit to the KC facility and to sign a professional contract. The approximate slot value for pick No. 41 is $2,278,000 according to MLB.com.
“I’m anxious to take this next step forward,” he said.