Zach Penrod could make big league debut with Boston after 3 years of independent ball

Zach Penrod, a 27-year-old left-hander who spent three years in an independent league, was brought up by the Boston Red Sox and in position for a possible big league debut.

Boston selected Zach Penrod's contract from Worcester on Saturday and recalled left-hander Bailey Horn from the Triple-A farm team. Left-hander Cam Booser and right-hander Zack Kelly were optioned to Worcester after Friday night's 5-4 loss to the New York Yankees and catcher Tyler Heineman was designated for assignment.

Penrod’s wife, Kyla, and week-old daughter, Noa Mae, were expected to be at Yankee Stadium.

Penrod played for Corban, an NAIA school, in 2017 and then for NCAA Division II Northwest Nazarene in Idaho the following year as an outfielder and pitcher. He signed with Texas in August 2018 as an undrafted free agent, missed 2019 following Tommy John surgery and was released in June 2020, a year the minor league season was canceled because of the pandemic.

He spent parts of 2021 and '22 at Billings, then started 2023 at fellow Pioneer League club Missoula. Boston signed him to a minor league contract on Aug. 16 last year and two days later he pitched five scoreless innings for Class A Greenville.

Penrod had a 2.18 ERA in four starts for the Drive, and Boston sent him to the Arizona Fall League. He began this season at Double-A Portland, was promoted to Worcester on May 26 and had a 5.93 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings over five starts and 10 relief appearances at Triple-A, missing time between June 6 and July 26 because of left shin inflammation.

His fastball averaged 94.7 mph this year at Triple-A and he reached 98.9 mph with a sixth-inning pitch on Aug. 16.