Blake Sabol Bio
Blake Joseph Sabol is an American professional baseball catcher and outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox, and spent time in the Chicago White Sox organization. Sabol played college baseball at the University of Southern California and entered professional baseball when the Pittsburgh Pirates selected him in the seventh round of the 2019 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2023 with the Giants after a Rule 5 draft selection that first sent him to the Cincinnati Reds and then quickly to San Francisco.
A versatile defender, Sabol has seen action at catcher and across the outfield during his professional career, while also logging time at designated hitter in the minor leagues. His path through the minors and majors has included multiple organizations, and he has continued to refine his switch-hitting approach and defensive versatility at each stop.
Early Life and Background
Blake Joseph Sabol was born on January 7, 1998, in Aliso Viejo, California. He was raised in the same Orange County community by his parents, Carmalita Brown and Rob Sabol. His father played college baseball at California State University, Long Beach, helping shape an early household interest in the sport. Sabol’s older brother, Stefan, also pursued the game, playing catcher at the University of Oregon and later in the New York Mets organization.
Sabol’s mother is from American Samoa, and he grew up among a Samoan community in Southern California. That family connection brings with it a notable athletic relative: Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu is Sabol’s second cousin, and Sabol’s mother once babysat the future NFL legend. This blend of baseball lineage and Polynesian heritage has been part of Sabol’s personal story throughout his development as a young athlete.
Path to Professional Baseball
Sabol attended Aliso Niguel High School in Aliso Viejo, where he was a three-sport standout. On the diamond he batted .338/.418/.498 with 11 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 43 stolen bases in 44 attempts across 126 games, while lining up at catcher, outfield, and first base. He also played basketball and football, and his tools stood out behind the plate with a 1.89-second pop time, along with a 6.77-second 60-yard dash that placed him in the 94th percentile of his class.
His amateur résumé earned him All-Sea View League honors in 2013 and 2014, South Coast All-League recognition in 2016, and a gold medal with the Team USA U15 National Team at the 2013 Pan Am Games. Perfect Game USA rated him the No. 64 player nationally in his class and the seventh-best catcher in 2015, and Max Preps ranked him the 23rd-best player in the nation for his class in 2016. The Cleveland Indians selected him in the 33rd round of the 2016 MLB draft, but Sabol opted not to sign and instead enrolled at the University of Southern California.
At USC, Sabol played for the Trojans and spent two summers in the Cape Cod Baseball League, first with the Wareham Gatemen in 2017 and then with the Chatham Anglers in 2018. With Chatham he was named a league all-star after batting .340/.445/.573 in 103 at-bats, ranking near the top of the league in runs, home runs, walks, and stolen bases. As a junior in 2019, he played 55 games for USC, batting .268/.346/.368, while logging time in left field, at catcher, and in center field on defense.
Blake Sabol Career
Pittsburgh Pirates Organization (2019–2022)
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Sabol in the seventh round of the 2019 MLB draft, and he signed for a bonus of $247,500. He made his professional debut that summer with the Low-A West Virginia Black Bears, hitting .245/.350/.351 with two home runs and 22 RBIs over 57 games, while splitting time in right, left, and center field. The 2020 minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting his opportunities to build on that debut.
In 2021, Sabol split the year between the Single-A Bradenton Marauders and the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers, producing a .310/.406/.551 slash line with 13 home runs and 45 RBIs over 66 games. He opened 2022 with the Double-A Altoona Curve and earned a late-August promotion to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, finishing the year with 19 home runs and 75 RBIs in 123 games between the two levels. He closed his Pirates development with an Arizona Fall League stint for the Surprise Saguaros.
San Francisco Giants (2023–2024)
On December 7, 2022, the Cincinnati Reds selected Sabol with the fourth overall pick in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 draft, then traded him to the San Francisco Giants about 90 minutes later for right-hander Jake Wong and cash. Sabol quipped, “Cincinnati Reds legend. Never lost a game in a Reds uniform.” Because of Rule 5 restrictions, the Giants had to keep him on the major league roster, and after a strong spring training in which he batted .348 with a 1.105 OPS, he was named to San Francisco’s Opening Day roster in 2023.
In his first MLB season, Sabol appeared in 110 games for the Giants, hitting .236/.301/.394 with 13 home runs and 44 RBI while continuing to bounce between catcher and the outfield. He was optioned to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats to open 2024, and in 11 major league appearances that year he slashed .313/.421/.375 with no home runs and one RBI. On January 11, 2025, San Francisco designated him for assignment following the signing of veteran pitcher Justin Verlander.
Boston Red Sox (2025)
On January 15, 2025, the Giants traded Sabol to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for international bonus pool space, and he was optioned to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox to begin the year. He was recalled on April 8 after starting catcher Connor Wong was placed on the 10-day injured list. In eight appearances for Boston, Sabol went 2-for-16 (.125) with one RBI and one walk before being designated for assignment on June 1. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Worcester on June 5.
Chicago White Sox (2025)
On July 12, 2025, Sabol was traded to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for cash considerations and assigned to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. In 23 appearances with Charlotte he batted .216/.326/.378 with three home runs and 13 RBI. The White Sox released him on November 5, returning him to the free-agent market.
Driving Style and Strengths
Sabol’s value comes from his positional flexibility, as he has handled catching duties, all three outfield spots, and designated hitter across his professional career. He has consistently drawn walks at a solid rate in the minors, paired with above-average speed that produced double-digit stolen bases in several seasons. Defensively, his 1.89-second pop time as an amateur and his continued reps behind the plate have made him a credible backup option at catcher, while his athleticism keeps him in the outfield mix.
Notable Events and Milestones
His Rule 5 draft adventure, going from Pittsburgh’s system to Cincinnati and then to San Francisco within hours, became a lighthearted career milestone. Earning a 2023 Opening Day roster spot out of spring training and homering 13 times as a rookie remain the headlining moments of his major league résumé to date.
Blake Sabol Career Wins
Blake Sabol’s statistical profile is built more on consistent production and versatility than on championship hardware, with his most notable numbers coming in the minor leagues and his 2023 rookie year with the Giants.
Minor League Highlights
Across the Pirates organization, Sabol’s 2021 split between Bradenton and Greensboro produced a .310/.406/.551 line with 13 home runs and 45 RBIs over 66 games, a clear breakout. His 2022 campaign between Altoona and Indianapolis delivered 19 home runs and 75 RBIs across 123 games, and he finished fifth in the Eastern League with five triples. He also starred in the Cape Cod League with Chatham in 2018, hitting .340/.445/.573 in 103 at-bats on his way to a league all-star selection.
Major League Highlights
In 110 games with the 2023 San Francisco Giants, Sabol hit .236/.301/.394 with 13 home runs and 44 RBI, establishing himself as a versatile rookie contributor. His 2024 major league sample with the Giants was brief but productive, slashing .313/.421/.375 in 11 games. His eight-game stint with the 2025 Boston Red Sox was limited, as he went 2-for-16 before being designated for assignment.
Blake Sabol Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Sabol’s father, Rob Sabol, played college baseball at California State University, Long Beach, providing a direct connection to the sport from a young age. His older brother, Stefan Sabol, played catcher at the University of Oregon and went on to play in the New York Mets organization. The baseball tradition in the family has clearly extended across multiple generations and levels of the game.
Personal Life and Heritage
Sabol’s mother, Carmalita Brown, is from American Samoa, and Blake grew up around a vibrant Samoan community in Southern California. Through that side of the family, he is a second cousin of Pro Football Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu, with Sabol’s mother having babysat Polamalu when they were younger. That Samoan heritage and extended athletic family network remain an important part of his identity off the field.
2025 Season Performance
Blake Sabol’s 2025 season was defined by movement between organizations rather than a settled major league role. He was traded from the San Francisco Giants to the Boston Red Sox in January, opened the year in Triple-A Worcester, and was promoted to Boston in April when Connor Wong went on the injured list. In eight games with the Red Sox he went 2-for-16 before being designated for assignment on June 1 and outrighted back to Worcester a few days later.
His midseason change of scenery continued on July 12, when the Chicago White Sox acquired him for cash considerations and assigned him to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. With Charlotte, Sabol appeared in 23 games and batted .216/.326/.378 with three home runs and 13 RBI, working to translate his offensive game to a new organization. The White Sox released him on November 5, leaving him as a free agent heading into the next offseason.
Looking ahead, Sabol’s free-agent status offers him a chance to land a depth role with a major league club, where his ability to catch, play the outfield, and serve as a left-handed or right-handed bat off the bench could be attractive. His 2023 production with the Giants remains a useful reference point for teams evaluating his upside, while his Triple-A track record in 2021 and 2022 continues to highlight the offensive profile that made him a Rule 5 pick in the first place.