This week we highlight the commitment of Ben Shepard, a 6 foot, 155lbs RHP out of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Ben has been a bit of a dark horse this year, first popping onto the scene during the top prospect games this past summer. Although currently undersized, Ben has plenty of upside in the fact that he will be able to add weight at the next level. He has a very smooth, repeated 3/4 delivery angle that maintains speed on off-speed pitches. Ben's easy arm action provides natural run to a FB in the low 80's that creates the perception of added speed with how heavy it appears. During a recent Siebert League outing, Shepard worked corners well with the FB and was effective hard inside to RHH. He is complimented by a breaking ball with late, sharp break and a splitter with multi-level movement. Don't be surprised to find Shepard as a key contributor to the Eden Prairie pitching staff that is looking to remain among one of the best in the state. Added strength and velocity combined with already natural movement could see Ben's stock rise this spring and into his freshman year at Minnesota-Duluth.

 

PBR: Why did you choose Minnesota-Duluth?
I chose Minnesota Duluth because they have a great culture on the baseball team and the school as a whole seems like a really good fit for me.

PBR: What other schools were you considering?
St. Thomas, Augustana, Winona State and UW-Lacrosse are the other schools that I was considering.

PBR: Where did the coaching staff first see you? How did your relationship develop with him (Phone calls, on-campus visits, etc.)?
They first saw me at the PBR Top Prospect Games. I planned on going up for a camp during the summer, but the Legion State Tournament interfered with that. My Legion and high school coach talked to Coach Rients and we started talking on the phone. From then on, I built a relationship with Coach Rients and visited there in late August.

PBR: Was there one deciding factor that put your choice over the top?
The main deciding factor was the education aspect of UMD. UMD has a great Mechanical Engineering program, which is a stepping stone into what I want to do when I’m older. I felt that the program was a better fit for me and my academic strengths.

PBR: Who has helped you the most to get to where you are today?
I would say my parents helped me most to get to where I am today. They constantly give me the support I need to get through all of the obstacles in my life.

PBR: What plans do you have in store for you in your freshman season at your new school?
My plan is to make an impact on the mound and compete for a starting role.

PBR: What advice would you give to others that are currently or will soon be going through the recruiting process?
I would say that you should get your criteria and priorities for school in order. Whether it's baseball first or academic first, it will make the process a lot easier. 

PBR: Are you competing in any fall or winter sports?
I am not doing any fall sports, but I am training at Impact Dynamics Baseball during the offseason. In the winter, I do downhill skiing for the Eden Prairie Alpine team.

PBR: Eden Prairie has established itself as one of the premier teams in the state year in and year out. What do you think attributes to the culture of a winning program. What can you point to for this year as a team strength that will help in the push for another title?
In our state championship run last year, we had one saying that embodied much of what we wanted our culture to be. We said L.E.G.S, which stood for Love, Energy, Grit and Selflessness. As for this upcoming year, we don’t have a lot of returning starters, but we have a lot of guys that were more of role players last year that I think will be able to make a big impact. I think one of our strengths will be our pitching staff, we have a lot of returning relievers, and some guys that have started to pitch over the last few months. 

 

 

Make sure to check out PBR Minnesota's new partner, Mayo Sports Clinic!