According to a source close to the team, Arizona State junior center fielder Andrew Shaps was dismissed from the team and junior outfielder Ryan Lillard left the program on his own accord.
"Sun Devil Athletics thanks Andrew Shaps and Ryan Lillard for their contributions to Sun Devil Baseball,” said Sun Devil Athletics in a statement that ASU badeball head coach Tracy Smith will also defer to. “The program is moving forward and investing focus and energy on the current team."
There was no reason given for the departures as the program is leaving it at the statement above. However, a rumor surfaced that Shaps’ dismissal was due to an online exchange he had with Ty Smith, Tracy Smith’s eldest son. However, the aforementioned source said the dismissal had nothing to do with the various exchanges on different social media platforms.
In a tweet posted on Saturday evening, Shaps said he was informed he was being released on Saturday morning for “failure to buy into team culture.” However, Shaps insisted in the tweet that he was fully committed to ASU baseball and used an example from last summer to support his claim.
“I would encourage those interested in my playing career to look to my teammates, former teammates, former coaches, family and friends for my references on my character and values,” Shaps said in the tweet.
Shaps missed the first five games of the season due to a suspension for a violation of team rules. Since then, he was hitting .299 with 17 RBI and was tied for the team lead in home runs with five. Lillard had started 21 games this season and was hitting .202 with two home runs and also served as one of the team’s primary pinch-hitting options.
Shaps went 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored in last night’s 7-5 loss to Stanford. Lillard had a pinch-hit opportunity in the ninth, but struck out looking.
“As a local guy, it was a dream to wear that jersey, and for the past three years I have tried to exemplify what it means to be an Arizona State Sun Devil,” Shaps said in the aforementioned tweet. “I am sad that I will no longer be competing with my brothers.”
The news comes just two days after pitchers Zach Dixon and Chris Isbell each posted via Instagram that they were no longer with the team. Senior designated hitter Sebastian Zawada quit the team in mid-March to pursue independent baseball.
ASU hosts No. 14 Stanford in the second game of the series at 6:30 p.m. at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Saturday. Sophomore Gage Canning is moving to center field to fill Shaps’ void and freshman Myles Denson is starting in right field.
