Joshua Pennington
Pitcher
6'0", 185 lbs
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
DOB: 7/06/1995
Hometown: Cape May, NJ
High School: Lower Cape May Regional (NJ)
Acquired: 29th round of 2014 draft (#884 overall)
Signed by: Ray Fagnant
Bonus: $90,000
Baseball-Reference page
SoxProspects profile
Perfect Game profile
MLB.com Draft Report (video)
Twitter account (@J_Penns5)
Additional pics:
* Tore his UCL on 4/14/2014, 2 months ahead of the draft:
* Underwent successful Tommy John surgery on 6/23/2014, with Dr. James Andrews performing the procedure:
More post-surgery pics spoilered below so as not to frighten the weak:
* On day #3 of the draft (6/7/2014), after not being selected several rounds in, Josh took the initiative:
* Lured away from a commitment to St. John's. Flew to Fort Myers on 7/12/2014, then signed with Boston on 7/17/2014 -- just one day ahead of the MLB signing deadline for 2014 draftees.
* Ranked #401 on Baseball America's Top 500 Prospects for the 2014 Draft:
* Perfect Game scouting report from the June 2013 National Showcase (Minneapolis MN):
* On June 11, his final day of high school, he was written up and given a detention for chewing tobacco in class. He tweeted a pic of his violation notice, along with some choice comments for school officials:
* On June 12, an interview of Josh aired on a local South Jersey TV station (It's at the 17:30 mark here):
Pitcher
6'0", 185 lbs
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
DOB: 7/06/1995
Hometown: Cape May, NJ
High School: Lower Cape May Regional (NJ)
Acquired: 29th round of 2014 draft (#884 overall)
Signed by: Ray Fagnant
Bonus: $90,000
Baseball-Reference page
SoxProspects profile
Perfect Game profile
MLB.com Draft Report (video)
Twitter account (@J_Penns5)
Additional pics:
* Tore his UCL on 4/14/2014, 2 months ahead of the draft:
An overwhelming flow of emotions swept over Lower Cape May Regional High School pitcher Josh Pennington on Monday.
Pennington and the Caper Tigers have spent the week in Myrtle Beach, S.C., as part of the Cal Ripken Experience.
The St. John's University recruit was warming up in the bullpen to pitch against a team from Elmira (N.Y.) when he felt a pop in his right elbow.
Pennington immediately went to his catcher, Dom Catanoso, and told him he blew out his elbow.
"I walked into the dugout and sat down, and I couldn't control my emotions," Pennington said on the phone Tuesday. "I felt like everything I worked for went out the window. It was hard for me.
"The worst-case scenarios were running through my head - what happens now with college and the draft and my baseball career in the future?"
Pennington had the elbow X-rayed at an area hospital, and the results came back negative. He will fly back to South Jersey today and have an MRI on Thursday at the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia.
Pennington said there were scouts down in Myrtle Beach, including the national crosschecker scouts for the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. They have more say in the scouting process when it comes to draft day.
"It was a disappointment because I didn't have the ability to show them what I had," Pennington said.
With a day to think about it, Pennington has had the ability to settle down and think about his future.
What helped him settle down was the endorsement he got from St. John's coach Ed Blankmeyer that the school would honor his scholarship. Pennington plans on getting a good education at St. John's and rehab at their facilities.
He said his elbow is sore to the touch and feels weak. He's just thankful it's not a shoulder injury, and he's optimistic regardless of the seriousness of the injury.
"If it happens to be serious, I'm just going to be really positive about it and not sit back and dwell on it," Pennington said. "I just have to get back out there and work harder and be stronger."
* Underwent successful Tommy John surgery on 6/23/2014, with Dr. James Andrews performing the procedure:
Josh Pennington @J_Penns5 · Jun 24
Thank you Dr. Andrews for fixing me up. A successful surgery is a great surgery. Now the comeback…
More post-surgery pics spoilered below so as not to frighten the weak:
Josh Pennington @J_Penns5 · Jun 24
The white thing is my new ligament
Josh Pennington @J_Penns5 · Jul 1
Oh yea
* On day #3 of the draft (6/7/2014), after not being selected several rounds in, Josh took the initiative:
Pennington said the Red Sox expressed a lot of interest in him before the draft.
But when round after round passed on Saturday, Pennington said he was so frustrated that he took action.
"I was getting so nervous," Pennington said. "I [went for it]. I texted their area scout [Ray Fagnant] and said, 'I know you are busy but I would love to be a Red Sock.'
"He texted me back to be patient. I was thinking, 'OK, he told me to be patient, no way I'm getting picked in this round.'
"I was not even paying that much attention to my computer and then I saw my name on the screen. I jumped out of the bed so high. I couldn't believe it."
* Lured away from a commitment to St. John's. Flew to Fort Myers on 7/12/2014, then signed with Boston on 7/17/2014 -- just one day ahead of the MLB signing deadline for 2014 draftees.
Josh Pennington @J_Penns5 · Jul 11
It's been the toughest and most stressful couple months of my life but I can't wait to get to Ft. Meyers it's such a relief
Josh Pennington @J_Penns5 · Jul 11
My mom cried when I told her I won't be home till September
Josh Pennington @J_Penns5 · Jul 12
Finally here
* Ranked #401 on Baseball America's Top 500 Prospects for the 2014 Draft:
Pennington entered the spring as one of the top arms in the Northeast, especially after his electric outing at last summer's Metropolitan Baseball Classic, but then he had Tommy John surgery. He had shown a 91-93 mph fastball this spring from a high three-quarters arm slot. He gets extension out front and the ball jumps out of his hand. Wiry, flexible and athletic, Pennington has one of the quickest arms in the class. His breaking ball also flashes above-average potential, and his changeup flashed average. He is a live-bodied 6-foot, 173-pounder with some strength to his lower half and is committed to St. John's.
* Perfect Game scouting report from the June 2013 National Showcase (Minneapolis MN):
FB: 89-91 mph (max 92)
CB: 75
SL: 81
CH: 82
PG Grade: 10.0
Medium athletic build, young look, lots of room to get stronger, projects well. Balanced on line delivery, 3/4's arm slot, fast arm coming through, hides the ball well and repeats his delivery. Showed four solid pitches in a short look. Fastball topped out at 92 mph, good downhill angle and life, curveball and slider spun well and had bite, showed feel for a low 80's change up. Pounded the strike zone with all four pitches and got quick outs. Anxious to see more of him.
* On June 11, his final day of high school, he was written up and given a detention for chewing tobacco in class. He tweeted a pic of his violation notice, along with some choice comments for school officials:
JP @J_Penns5 · 10h
Like I've been doing this for 2 years it's the last day and your gonna screw me over
JP @J_Penns5 · 10h
Give me a break I'm a senior that's giving Lower more recognition then it deserves
JP @J_Penns5 · 10h
Good luck ever getting me to say a good thing about this school
* On June 12, an interview of Josh aired on a local South Jersey TV station (It's at the 17:30 mark here):
JP @J_Penns5
Everyone tune into @nbc40news tonight around 6:10 and 11:20 to watch my interview pertaining to the draft.