Ehrhard Quickly Rising Through Minor Leagues

Cowboy baseball is no stranger to putting players into the pros. Since Josh Holliday was named coach in 2012, 72 Cowboys have been drafted. Centerfielder Zach Ehrhard was drafted following the 2024 season and has risen quickly through the minor leagues.

Ehrhard was a fourth-round pick by the Red Sox and now plays at AAA with the Oklahoma City Comets.

The Tampa native was first drafted out of high school but decided to pursue college baseball halfway across the country in Stillwater.

“I always saw myself going to play out of high school,” Ehrhard said. “I always did well in school but baseball was my thing. I only wanted to play baseball.”

Oklahoma State was not the only team that showed interest in Ehrhard. The Cowboys won out over North Carolina State, Yale and Stetson.

“I felt a really personal connection to Stillwater,” Ehrhard. “Matt Holliday got to watch me all summer because I was with Jackson on the travel ball circuit. He relayed to Josh and they really wanted me and it worked out.”

Ehrhard credited his teammates for making his transition to Oklahoma easier and grafting him into the Cowboy baseball family.

“Chemistry is everything in college baseball and that can really make or break a team,” Ehrhard said. “You can put two really talented teams side-by-side and the team that has really gelled and plays for each other is the team that is going to be successful.”

Ehrhard also got to share the field in Stillwater with a pair of now big-leaguers who he has maintained a strong relationship with.

“I lived with Carson Benge my freshman year so he and I became closer as the years went on,” Ehrhard said. “Nolan McLean was actually my road roommate my freshman year. He definitely made me feel like a part of the group and would heckle me and things like that.”

Ehrhard also credited the Cowboy coaching staff for his all-around development as a baseball player during his time in orange.

“I got better all around,” Ehrhard said. “Josh did a great job, I had hitting coaches like Matt Holliday and Robin Ventura and it’s hard to not get better with guys like that around.”

His time in Stillwater aided in his ability to more quickly adjust to life as a professional. He also had someone special in the Red Sox system to rely on.

“My brother Drew is in the Red Sox organization,” Ehrhard said. “Everyone there was like we now Drew and we love Drew so hopefully Zach is half as cool as him.”

Ehrhard was traded to the Dodgers last season and has seen stints with the Tulsa Drillers, as well as a spring training invite with Los Angeles before joining OKC.

“I was really grateful to be given the opportunity to be in the big league camp with all of those guys,” Ehrhard said. “It can be a little intimidating at first but they were all welcoming and nice just brought me in and made me feel like part of the group.”

Baseball has also provided Ehrhard the opportunity to do something off the field.

“I just really want to start traveling and seeing the world and professional baseball will take you places you would never expect to be,” Ehrhard said. “Last week we were in Albuquerque, New Mexico and I never would have thought I would ever see New Mexico.”

Ehrhard made himself known to the Albuquerque crowd on April 15 when he hit an inside-the-park grand slam in a clip that went viral.

“I hit it and I was automatically thinking double,” Ehrhard said. “I saw the ball kick away and thought it could be three and then halfway to third coach Hennessey was still waving me so I said OK I guess it’s four now.”

Though he is not on the Dodgers 40-man roster, Ehrhard is confident in his ability to continue to develop and eventually join the big league squad.

“It’s really just me trying to develop as a player and develop all of the aspects of my game,” Ehrhard said. “Every day I’m just trying to work on something that its going to make me better and more prepared to be a big leaguer one day.”