Drafted in the 13th round (377th overall) by the Kansas City Royals in 1998.
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A two-way player in college, Shackelford saw more time in the outfield than on the mound and the Royals drafted him as a position player. He hit .241 as an outfielder before shifting to the mound midway through 2002. His stock soared in the Arizona Fall League in 2002, prompting the Reds to seek him in a minor league trade. He has made tremendous progress on the mound, reaching Triple-A within a year of switching positions. Shackelford has the makings of four major league pitches, including an 88-92 mph tailing fastball, a cutter, a slider and a changeup. After a demotion to high Class A last year, he settled on a comfortable arm slot. His new high three-quarters release helped him find the strike zone more frequently. Shackelford just needs innings to hone his repertoire. His future role will depend upon his ability to get lefthanders out. He'll probably start the year in Triple-A.
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