SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah College of Art and Design baseball player
Stephen Shackleford has signed a professional contract with the San Francisco Giants.
Shackleford will be working out at the Giants' complex in Phoenix and hasn't been assigned to San Francisco's minor-league affiliates at this time.
Shackleford, who was the 1,068th overall selection in the 2010 draft, is the university's third pick in the MLB draft in the program's 20-year history. Ryan Pope was drafted in the third round by the New York Yankees in 2007 while Richard Sullivan was selected in the 11th round by the Atlanta Braves in 2008.
Shackleford, who taken in the 35th round by the Giants in the draft, is also be fourth SCAD player - all pitchers - currently playing professional baseball. Pope is currently playing for the Class AA Trenton (N.J.) Thunder while Sullivan is pitching for Class AA Mississippi Braves. Charlie Zink, who signed a free-agent contract with the Boston Red Sox in 2002, is now pitching for the Rochester (N.Y.) Red Wings, the Class AAA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins.
Shackleford, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior right-handed pitcher from Louisville, Ky., went 12-3 with a 2.50 ERA this season as he became the program's third NAIA All-American in the past four seasons. The first-team All-The Sun Conference performer appeared in 20 games – 17 starts – as he threw 12 complete games and had a save. In 100 2/3 innings this season, he limited the opponents to just 91 hits (.239 batting average) and struck out 108.
Shackleford, who set the university record for strikeouts in a game with 15 in the conference tournament opener last month against Warner University, is currently ranked No. 6 in the NAIA in wins, fourth in strikeouts, 13th in innings pitched, 19th in earned run average, 22nd in runs allowed per game (1.850) and 34th in strikeouts per nine innings (9.66).
SCAD went 32-27 and finished in fourth place in the conference in 2010.