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James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
A Promise Kept
10/29/2020 1:00:00 PM | Baseball
HARRISONBURG, Va. – A promise, that is how a lot of things start out as. Normally, it's things such as "I promise to pay you back for lunch" or "I promise we will see each other again." But the promise that Shelton Perkins made with his parents when he first started college was different. That promise was to get his degree, something he felt was important to complete.
Perkins has always had a passion for sports. "My whole life growing up, sports were everything to me," said Perkins. At James Madison, he was able to put that passion into a career, enrolling as a Sport and Recreation Management (SRM) major while also playing on the baseball team. "I don't know many Sundays that people didn't call me growing up. I don't care if I was 8 years old, people would call me like, 'hey what do you think about taking this team today, what do you think will happen,' stuff like that."
Perkins began his college career at East Carolina University, then took a year stint in the junior college ranks, before arriving in Harrisonburg to don the purple and gold. "I was trying to get back to Division I, and JMU gave me that opportunity." The Leland, N.C. native made 38 appearances, going 7-2 with a 3.08 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 73 innings. His play was rewarded in the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft, with the Baltimore Orioles selecting him in the 16th round.
While dominating on the field, off the field Perkins was taking in everything about being a Duke. At JMU, Perkins was provided tremendous memories and lessons. He flew on a plane for the first time ever as the team went cross country to take on Cal State Fullerton. He says that some of his teammates that year allowed him to get the window seat, fully taking in the ride. He also learned how to be a good teammate, something he says helped him in pro ball last year. "At JMU we were going to work hard and we were going to teach each other every day to be able to compete at a top level. I think competing every day and going out and handling our business really helped me at the next level."
Getting drafted and making it to the next level was a curveball thrown at the plans for Perkins, who promised his parents again after getting drafted that he'd go back and finish his degree. He appeared in 15 games in the 2019 season for the Orioles' Single-A affiliate Aberdeen Ironbirds after leaving school early, going 1-1 with a 2.04 ERA.
As Perkins was preparing for the 2020 season like all other pro players, the world was brought to a stop with the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Minor League Baseball season was cancelled, sending minor league players in a frenzy trying to figure out what to do with no season. The pandemic actually opened up a gateway to school, providing Perkins with a perfect time to work back on the promise with his parents. "That was kind of a blessing in disguise for us because I didn't really ever know if I'd have time to go back to school, but the pandemic happened and everything moving online kind of worked out perfectly."
His time at JMU helped play a role in coming back to finish his degree during a crazy spring. "The people that I met there are lifelong friends and it was an opportunity for me to come back and be with them again." Perkins also mentioned he was able to train with other professional players while continuing online school.
Finally, in May of this year, the promise was kept and completed. While students were unable to walk across the stage and have an in-person graduation, Perkins received his degree in SRM with a minor in business. "It's a big accomplishment, my parents got the frame with everything back home and they're just so excited. They have already put it up on the wall, my dad sent me a nice text message saying how proud he was of me, so it's been awesome." He mentioned that working hard and staying the right course while being eligible for baseball helped him get him to the finish line.
Perkins now is turning his focus to this offseason and the 2021 season, earning a roster spot as the Orioles begin their fall Instructional League down in Sarasota, Fla.
Perkins has always had a passion for sports. "My whole life growing up, sports were everything to me," said Perkins. At James Madison, he was able to put that passion into a career, enrolling as a Sport and Recreation Management (SRM) major while also playing on the baseball team. "I don't know many Sundays that people didn't call me growing up. I don't care if I was 8 years old, people would call me like, 'hey what do you think about taking this team today, what do you think will happen,' stuff like that."
Perkins began his college career at East Carolina University, then took a year stint in the junior college ranks, before arriving in Harrisonburg to don the purple and gold. "I was trying to get back to Division I, and JMU gave me that opportunity." The Leland, N.C. native made 38 appearances, going 7-2 with a 3.08 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 73 innings. His play was rewarded in the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft, with the Baltimore Orioles selecting him in the 16th round.
While dominating on the field, off the field Perkins was taking in everything about being a Duke. At JMU, Perkins was provided tremendous memories and lessons. He flew on a plane for the first time ever as the team went cross country to take on Cal State Fullerton. He says that some of his teammates that year allowed him to get the window seat, fully taking in the ride. He also learned how to be a good teammate, something he says helped him in pro ball last year. "At JMU we were going to work hard and we were going to teach each other every day to be able to compete at a top level. I think competing every day and going out and handling our business really helped me at the next level."
Getting drafted and making it to the next level was a curveball thrown at the plans for Perkins, who promised his parents again after getting drafted that he'd go back and finish his degree. He appeared in 15 games in the 2019 season for the Orioles' Single-A affiliate Aberdeen Ironbirds after leaving school early, going 1-1 with a 2.04 ERA.
As Perkins was preparing for the 2020 season like all other pro players, the world was brought to a stop with the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Minor League Baseball season was cancelled, sending minor league players in a frenzy trying to figure out what to do with no season. The pandemic actually opened up a gateway to school, providing Perkins with a perfect time to work back on the promise with his parents. "That was kind of a blessing in disguise for us because I didn't really ever know if I'd have time to go back to school, but the pandemic happened and everything moving online kind of worked out perfectly."
His time at JMU helped play a role in coming back to finish his degree during a crazy spring. "The people that I met there are lifelong friends and it was an opportunity for me to come back and be with them again." Perkins also mentioned he was able to train with other professional players while continuing online school.
Finally, in May of this year, the promise was kept and completed. While students were unable to walk across the stage and have an in-person graduation, Perkins received his degree in SRM with a minor in business. "It's a big accomplishment, my parents got the frame with everything back home and they're just so excited. They have already put it up on the wall, my dad sent me a nice text message saying how proud he was of me, so it's been awesome." He mentioned that working hard and staying the right course while being eligible for baseball helped him get him to the finish line.
Perkins now is turning his focus to this offseason and the 2021 season, earning a roster spot as the Orioles begin their fall Instructional League down in Sarasota, Fla.
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