Kevin Shaw was once a prospect, saw seven seasons, made AA

Appleton Foxes manager Brian Poldberg assessed second-year hurler Kevin Shaw to The Los Angeles Times in June 1988.

"He's definitely a prospect," Poldberg told The Times of the Anaheim product. "But he's still probably four or five years away. He's working on his curveball and his changeup, the things he'll need in the big leagues. But they'll want him to have success at every level."

Shaw did play five more seasons, but he never made the majors. He topped out at AA.

Shaw's career began in 1987, taken by the Royals in the eighth round of the draft out of Katella High School in Anaheim.

Shaw started with the Royals in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He went 3-2 over seven outings, with a 1.44 ERA. 

He moved to single-A Appleton for 1988, where he had 18 starts and went 5-4 record and a 1.99 ERA.

For 1989, he arrived at single-A Baseball City. He would stay there for four-straight seasons, including injury abbreviated seasons in 1989 and 1990.

In 1991, he went 6-12, with a 2.88 ERA in 24 starts. That July, he spoke with The Times about his lengthy stay in Baseball City. 

"People in the booster club call me by my first name," Shaw told The Times. "They say, 'Kevin, how 'ya doing?' My teammates say, 'Wow, you know everyone down here.'"

After staying at Baseball City for the fourth season, Shaw moved to the Reds system for 1993. He saw 25 outings at high-A Winston Salem and 25 more at AA Chattanooga. He went 2-4, with a 4.09 ERA on the year to end his career.

• Los Angeles Times, June 23, 1988: So Far, Numbers Show That Katella's Shaw Made Right Choice
• Los Angeles Times, Aug. 26, 1991: This Pitcher Wants to Go Where Everybody Doesn't Know His Name

More: The 1990 Baseball City Royals

1990 Minor League Tally 

Players/Coaches Featured:4,295
Made the Majors:1,392-32.4%
Never Made Majors:2,903-67.6%-X

5+ Seasons in the Majors:567
10+ Seasons in the Minors:349