Miami Retains Star Recruit Rookie Shepard from the 2026 MLB Draft
The MLB Draft is nearly here, and with it comes star recruits entering and exiting the draft and going to college. Now, with the projected proposal, the draft will eliminate high school selections, which have given new life to the Miami Hurricanes, who consistently have a top-10 class year after year.
However, with those star-studded classes, the Canes will tend to lose 2-3 players at the top of their list that would be star players for the program. Not this time. The Hurricanes have retained star infielder Rookie Shepard after he withdrew from the 2026 MLB Draft.
Shepard is one of the best defensive infield prospects entering the league, an area the Canes desperately needed help in. Shepard was ranked as the No. 90 overall prospect in the upcoming draft, and a four-star recruit standing at 6-foot-0 and 190 lbs.
Miami led the ACC in errors last season, ranking in the bottom 20 nationally. It was clear that the Canes needed more help in the field, and without any clear transfer portal addition to fix the woes, this is a massive step in the right direction for a team that is desperate to get back to Omaha and in national championship contention.
Shepard is also a growing hitter, and as Miami's offense and freshmen have shown over the past season, if you can get into the lineup, you can be one of the better hitters in the country.
Freshman Alzono Alveraz was named a freshman All-American by Baseball America, and it was clear he had grown from his lessons at the plate. If Shepard can follow in that pattern, he will instantly be one of the best players on the team.
Miami's improved pitching on paper and the additions from the transfer portal only show a sign that they are trying to get better. The question is whether they are with these moves and the areas of improvement in them.
The biggest weaknesses the Hurricanes had last season are actively being improved; the question now is, will it be shown in the field during a make-or-break season?
Depending on how the rest of the offseason goes, Vance Sheahan will return to play shortstop, while Shepard will play second base as Jake Ogden is out of eligibility.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/miami as Miami Retains Star Recruit Rookie Shepard from the 2026 MLB Draft.
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This story was originally published June 28, 2026 at 7:00 AM.