There will be one more Pitt baseball player in the pros this season, as redshirt junior infielder Liam Sabino has signed a professional contract with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Sabino, who played third and second base for Pitt this season, was drafted by the Cardinals in the 35th Round of the 2018 MLB Draft.
He led Pitt in home runs (16), stolen bases (18), on-base percentage (.396) and slugging percentage (.595) in his only season with the Panthers. He redshirted in 2017 after spending his first two collegiate seasons at Vanderbilt.
“Transferring to the University of Pittsburgh was one of the best decisions of my life,” Sabino said. “I took a leap of faith, bet on myself and accomplished many of the goals I had envisioned long before I had to opportunity to do so. However, no feat or milestone is accomplished alone. I would like to thank my family, my coaches, my teammates, team trainers, Pitt staff and my friends for their constant support. I am so grateful for my experiences in Pittsburgh; it’s a place with unlimited potential, filled with incredible people who will be in my life forever.
“With that being said, I am proud to represent my family, my school and everything they stand for in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. Lastly, one of my greatest honors in life was to be a small part of an incredible group of young men that can say they left the Pitt baseball program better than they found it. Thank you.”
Insider Access: Pitt Baseball Infielder Liam Sabino
Sabino makes four Pitt players to sign professional contracts following the 2018 season, joining pitchers Yaya Chentouf (Detroit Tigers), R.J. Freure (Houston Astros) and Matt Pidich (Cincinnati Reds).
The 2018 foursome will join the 12 Pitt players already playing in affiliated professional baseball. One Pitt alum — Chicago White Sox catcher Kevan Smith — is currently playing in the majors.
Sabino was the final drafted Pitt player to make his decision on whether or not to turn pro. Pitcher Derek West and pitching commits Mason Ronan and Billy Corcoran elected to stick with Pitt.
