Soylent Green,
In case you haven't noticed, the landscape for college baseball (not just D1) has changed as well as the money the coaches need to keep their programs going.
Redshirts at big D1 programs unless there is a medical waiver is unheard of (see rynoattack's post). There used to be a time, when the rosters could be as big as 50 (you only need 25 players) and those players filled as players for practice and scrimmages) most players never played. D1 players got thrown in some perks, books or a percentage or two. Don't compare what they did in college baseball in the 80's to 2014.
D3 programs do not have a team roster cap or do they give out athletic scholarships.
This always come down to a personal opinion. But to say that the player lucked out getting a redshirt year, most likely would be because the coach knows he will never play there and didn't want to burn a year of eligibility and be called all sorts of names. If the player is happy with that situation that is fine, would not have been for mine or most likely most of the players of the websters that post here.
FWIW, redshirt designation will not be used until the following year. So there is always a possibility that the player COULD get some playing time.