Siblings by Blood, Teammates by Chance: Drew & Zach Ehrhard

Between the months of April and September, Rodney Ehrhard and his wife Shannon always have two televisions set up in their living room to stream baseball games simultaneously. The first television broadcasts their oldest son Drew’s game, while the other displays their younger son, Zach’s. 

Currently, the Ehrhard brothers compete in the Boston Red Sox minor league system and are far from their family home in Tampa, Florida; but that does not stop mom and dad from catching all the action every night. 

“Ever since they were little we never missed a game,” Rodney said. “Even if we are visiting one son and watching him play in person, we always have the other one’s game streaming on our phone at the same time in the stands.”  

Drew & Zach posing for a photo together at Spring Training. Photo provided by dad, Rodney.

Rodney himself was a former minor leaguer in the New York Yankees organization after being selected in the 41st round in 1987 June Amateur Draft. Beforehand, he accomplished two standout seasons at the University of Tampa, which eventually led him to be inducted into the schools athletic hall of fame in 2016. 

After spending four years bouncing between New York’s Low-A and High-A affiliates, Rodney hung up his cleats and decided to become part of his father’s family business. Later on, Rodney met Shannon and the two married in 1996. The couple welcomed their oldest son Drew in January of 1999. 

Since the age of nine, Rodney had a passion for baseball and it became very apparent from a young age that Drew did as well. 

“When he was about four I started tossing the ball to Drew and playing with him around the house,” Rodney said. “He picked the sport up very quickly and was noticeably pretty good at it.” 

That same talent and passion also took form in Zach, who completed the family of four in January of 2003. 

Though the brothers have a four year age gap and never competed on the same team while growing up, that did not stop them from bonding through the sport. The two were very competitive with one another at home, but cheered for each other on the field. 

“I was the bat boy for Drew’s team when I was little and it was fun to be close to him and watch him play,” Zach said. “Drew was always a big role model for me and I wanted to take note of everything he did.” 

In addition to playing baseball, the family enjoyed watching college games at Rodney’s alma mater. The University of Tampa is in the Ehrhard’s backyard and became a staple in the spring, especially for Drew, who’s passion for the sport also emerged through attending games. 

From a young age, Drew knew he wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps and committed to play for the Spartans baseball program in high school. An added bonus, staying close to home meant he could also continue to watch  Zach’s career develop. 

“Being close to Zach was also a big deciding factor when it came to college,” Drew said. “Whenever I was done with practice I would run over to the high school to watch his games and try to catch as many as I could.” 

Drew competed in the Spartans baseball program for six years. He ranks third all-time in hits in NCAA Division 2 history, and won a national championship with the program in 2019. He also maintained a stellar GPA in the classroom. Photo by the University of Tampa

Just like his older brother, Zach also knew he wanted to take his career to the next level. He was drafted out of high school by the Boston Red Sox in the 13th round, but opted to attend Oklahoma State University to play BIG 12 conference baseball instead. 

This was the first time the close-knit family had a member far away from the Sunshine State. 

“Zach going far away was really tough the first few months,” Rodney said. “But eventually we all adjusted and we were able to go watch him play in Stillwater.” 

Zach was a three-year starter for the Cowboys. In 2024 he was named Big 12 Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, making him the first-ever Cowboy in program history to earn the honor.

During the summer of 2023 the brothers were reunited as Zach was invited to play for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks in the prestigious Cape Cod League after his sophomore campaign, and Drew served as a member of the coaching staff. 

However, that summer Drew received a phone call that changed the trajectory of his career. 

“I did not hear much from the pro baseball world after college, so I assumed I was going to be part of the sport but as a coach,” Drew said. “However, I got a call from the Red Sox saying they were interested in signing me and two days later I was in Fort Myers.” 

Drew officially signed with Boston in July, and spent about three weeks at the Red Sox training complex before being promoted to the High-A affiliate in Greenville, South Carolina, to finish the season. 

In 2024, he picked up where he left off and suited up for the Drive before making his way up the coast to Portland to compete at the Double-A level. Once he was settled in Maine, Zach along with their parents, made the trek to Hadlock Field to watch Drew play. However, the trip turned out to be more memorable than the family imagined, as it was Zach’s turn to get the call that would change his career. 

Together, the family watched the MLB draft in Drew’s apartment and shock set in when the Red Sox called Zach’s name for a second time. 

“I wanted Drew to be there when I potentially got the call, and was surprised when Boston took me a second time because I didn’t think I was even on their radar,” Zach said. “Being close to Drew and then selected to play for the same organization was just surreal.” 

The Ehrhard family posing for a picture at one of Drew's games in 2024.

About two weeks after the visit to Portland, Zach made his way to Fort Myers to make everything official. He was immediately assigned to the Greenville Drive in August, where completed his first few weeks of pro baseball. 

Once the season concluded, both brothers retreated back to Florida to live at home for the offseason. In Tampa, the two trained together before heading a couple of hours south to jetBlue Park. Even in Spring Training, the two remained roommates and even had the opportunity to occasionally play alongside each other. 

For now, Drew remains at the Double-A and Zach at High-A, meaning they are only one level from suiting up together. Though the two always remain in contact just about every day, including calling dad for advice. 

“Growing up our dad was very involved and we owe so much of our success to him,” Drew said. “I know we both talk to him a bunch during the season, always asking questions.” 

Mom and dad take trips about once or twice a month to see them and make sure the two televisions are always tuning into the live streams when they cannot be there to cheer in person. 

“This really just is the most crazy story, never in a million years did we think they would be playing on the same team,” Rodney said. “I’m so proud of them both, this is such a dream come true and blessing for our family.” 

*This article was written for Beyond the Monster, and is published on this platform for portfolio purposes.