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Saturday, June 19, 2021

Shea Wardwell helped college to conference title game; Saw four pro seasons, later turned coach, instructor


Eastern Kentucky's Shea Wardwell hit two home runs in this May 1989 contest to help his squad to the conference title game, The Lexington Herald-Leader wrote.

He explained his thinking during the two shots afterward to The Herald-Leader.

"On the first one, I was just looking for a pitch to drive," Wardwell told The Herald-Leader. "On the second, I was just trying to get contact."

Wardwell soon helped himself to the pros. He saw four total seasons. He topped out at high-A.

Wardwell's career began in 1990, signed by the Red Sox as a amateur free agent out of Eastern Kentucky.

Wardwell started with the Red Sox at short-season Elmira. He walked and scored in a July game. He then doubled in two in an August contest. Overall, he got into 54 games and hit .146.

He moved to high-A Winter Haven and high-A Lynchburg for 1991. He singled, stole a base and scored in a June game. He saw 118 total games and hit .182. That season marked his last with the Red Sox.

Wardwell isn't credited as playing again until 1996, with at independent Grand Forks. He got into 78 games in 1996 and hit .271. He singled in a run in a June game. He then returned for 43 final contests there in 1997 to end his career.

Wardwell went on to coach in high school and serve as an instructor. In 2021, he's listed as director at Swingtime Baseball Academy in Cincinnati.


1990 Minor League Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:3,676
Made the Majors:1,254-34.1%
Never Made Majors:2,422-65.9%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:522
10+ Seasons in the Minors:308

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