Chad Sheppard

Luke Irvine drew more of the early attention at Northwestern State, but scouts came away preferring Sheppard because he has a better body and a better secondary pitch. After redshirting in 2008, Sheppard tied the Demons' save record with 10 as a freshman last spring, then matched that total again this season. He uses his 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame and low-90s sinker to keep the ball down in the strike zone and induce grounders. He has given up just two homers in two college seasons. His slider is a solid No. 2 pitch, though it can get slurvy at times. When he has both pitches working and throws strikes, Sheppard can be all but unhittable. His frame would suggest durability, but he has worked exclusively out of the bullpen in college and likely will remain a reliever in pro ball. Though he's a draft-eligible sophomore, scouts don't think he'll be difficult to sign.