Shields' maturity beyond his years in dominant pro debut

The day David Shields turned 19 years old, he took the mound for Single-A Columbia’s first postseason game and spun five innings of one-run ball in Game 1 of the Carolina League South Division Series.

That was Sept. 9, with Shields striking out eight against Myrtle Beach (Cubs), setting the tone for Columbia’s sweep in that series. But Shields, the Royals’ No. 6 prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 list, spent the majority of his first season of professional baseball as an 18-year-old.

And yes, he hears about how young he is all the time.

“It’s brought up a lot,” said Shields, the Royals’ second-round pick of the 2024 Draft out of Mt. Lebanon (Pa.) High School. “But I skipped my last year of high school, because I just felt like I was ready to attack pro ball. I don’t think it’s that big of a deal for really anything. Once you’re ready, you’re ready. I want to get [to the big leagues] as soon as possible. That’s why I skipped my last year, and I feel like my game kind of spoke for itself.”

Indeed, it was an excellent first season for Shields – and even more when you do factor in that he was only 18 years old. The lefty posted a 2.38 ERA across 19 starts, with 18 of those coming in Single-A. Shields threw 71 2/3 innings with the Fireflies after he joined them on May 13, posting a 28.3% strikeout rate and a 5.2% walk rate. His 2.01 ERA with Columbia was the second best among Carolina League starters with at least 15 starts.

Following his season, Shields was named the Royals’ Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year, and he was recognized on Futures Night at Kauffman Stadium last month along with the rest of the club’s Minor League award winners. Shields was also named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Year, the first Fireflies pitcher to win that award.

“This was a great foundational building year for David, in a lot of ways,” Royals director of player development Mitch Maier said. “First year in professional baseball, the amount of innings, the length of the season, all those things that go into your first full year. He met every expectation in stride and excelled in doing so. Couldn’t be happier for how he’s handled it all.”

Shields doesn’t have flashy stuff, hovering around 90-93 mph with his fastball. But his arsenal is advanced – again, even more so due to his age – and got better throughout the season.

That included working on his changeup, making the pitch a real weapon rather than the “slower fastball” it was in high school, he said. It also included mechanical adjustments with his curveball to give it more downer action, which plays off his slider better – a pitch he introduced this season.

Improving the slider and consistency with all his pitches are part of Shields' offseason goals, giving him four pitches to work with in 2026.

“Especially against right-handed hitters this year, the changeup was big,” Shields said. “I leaned on that a lot this year. Fixed the shape of my curveball, added in a slider. I’m hoping to clean that up this offseason and get that one working. So having four pitches moving forward will be huge.”

With young pitchers, the Royals like to focus first on their delivery and attacking the zone. Shields’ maturity with all of that already allowed the club to move on to the pitch grips and execution in his first season.

“He’s a kid beyond his years,” senior director of pitching Paul Gibson said earlier this season. “He’s very confident. Very much a strong believer in himself. Recognizes mistakes. Knows what he needs to work on. Really good idea on how to pitch. Reads swings really well. And location of his fastball is fairly incredible for an 18 year old kid from the Northeast with limited exposure.”

While being honored at Kauffman Stadium last month, Shields couldn’t help but glance around at the stadium, joking that he’d like to get out in the outfield with his friend and fellow 2024 Draft pick Jac Caglianone, who made his debut less than a year after he was drafted No. 6 overall.

Shields still has a bit of time and several more levels to clear before he arrives at The K. But the beginning of his career could put him on an advanced path.

No matter his age.

“It means a lot,” Shields said. “I didn’t really have a ton of expectations going into the season. I found a groove in the middle of the season and I just kept running with it. … One to remember, for sure, but I’m hoping to stack it up against a good one next year.”