Miami Hurricanes and coach J.D. Arteaga just beat out MLB for an immediate star

Miami's 2027 baseball roster will have a major freshman addition in the middle infield after Rookie Shepard reportedly removed his name from consideration for the 2026 MLB Draft.

Shepard will no longer pursue the professional route this summer, clearing the way for the Faith Lutheran shortstop to join the Hurricanes. It is a massive development for Miami baseball.

The 2026 MLB Draft is scheduled for July 11-12 in Philadelphia.

Rookie Shepard chooses Miami Hurricanes instead of MLB

Miami now has a chance to add one of the most polished prep middle infielders in the country to its 2027 roster, assuming Shepard follows through on his college plans. He had been committed to the Hurricanes, but that commitment always came with the obvious question surrounding high-end high school baseball recruits. Would the draft keep him from ever reaching Coral Gables?

The 6-foot, 190-pound shortstop from North Las Vegas is a left-handed hitter and right-handed thrower, and was a player expected to be selected in the 2026 draft.

Shepard posted a 6.56-second 60-yard dash at the 2025 Perfect Game National Showcase, placing him in the 97th percentile for his class. Perfect Game also had Shepard No. 173 on its most recent 2026 Draft board.

Shepard has been productive across all four varsity seasons at Faith Lutheran. As a freshman in 2023, he batted .313 with 21 hits, two doubles and 15 RBIs in 26 games. He took a major jump as a sophomore, hitting .392 with 40 hits, 10 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 25 RBIs and 28 runs in 32 games.

Shepard followed that by batting .424 as a junior with 50 hits, eight doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 34 RBIs and 39 runs across 40 games. During his senior season, he hit .511 with 47 hits, 17 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 31 RBIs and 34 runs in 31 games.

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