Blake Sabol Bio
Blake Joseph Sabol, born on January 7, 1998, is an American professional baseball catcher and outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants and the Boston Red Sox, and most recently spent time in the Tampa Bay Rays organization on a minor league deal. 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 and has built his career on positional versatility behind the plate and in the outfield corners.
Early Life and Background
Blake Joseph Sabol was born and raised in Aliso Viejo, California, to his parents, Rob Sabol and Carmalita Brown. His father, Rob Sabol, played college baseball at California State University, Long Beach, which helped shape Blake’s early connection to the sport. Sabol also has an older brother, Stefan, who played catcher in college baseball at the University of Oregon and went on to play in the New York Mets organization.
Sabol’s mother, Carmalita Brown, is from American Samoa, and Sabol grew up surrounded by a strong 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; Sabol’s mother once babysat Polamalu, and the two families have remained close. This blend of baseball roots and Polynesian heritage has been a meaningful part of his personal story.
Path to Professional Baseball
Sabol attended Aliso Niguel High School in Aliso Viejo, where he developed into a multi-position prospect. In 126 high school games he batted .338/.418/.498 with 11 home runs, 73 runs batted in, and 43 stolen bases, while playing catcher, outfield, and first base. He also competed in basketball and football, and was clocked at 6.77 seconds in the 60-yard dash, ranking in the 94th percentile of his class.
His amateur résumé included All-Sea View League honors in 2013 and 2014, a 2016 South Coast All-League selection, and a gold medal with the Team USA U15 National Team at the 2013 Pan Am Games. The Cleveland Indians selected him in the 33rd round of the 2016 MLB draft, but Sabol chose to enroll at the University of Southern California, where he played three seasons of college baseball for the USC Trojans. He also spent two summers in the Cape Cod Baseball League, earning a 2018 league all-star nod with the Chatham Anglers after batting .340/.445/.573.
Blake Sabol Career
Pittsburgh Pirates and Minor League Development (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 opened his professional career with the Low-A West Virginia Black Bears in 2019, hitting .245/.350/.351 over 57 games while splitting time across all three outfield spots. In 2021, he advanced through Single-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro, slashing .310/.406/.551 with 13 home runs and 45 runs batted in across 66 games, showing the offensive upside that Pittsburgh had hoped to develop.
Sabol began the 2022 season with the Double-A Altoona Curve and was promoted to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians in late August. Across 123 games at the two levels he batted .284/.363/.497 with 26 doubles, 19 home runs, and 75 runs batted in, finishing fifth in the Eastern League with five triples. Defensively, he logged 66 games at catcher, 34 at designated hitter, and 21 in left field, reinforcing his profile as a true two-way catching-outfield option before finishing the year in the Arizona Fall League with 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, and roughly 90 minutes later the San Francisco Giants acquired him in a trade for right-hander Jake Wong and cash. Because of Rule 5 restrictions, San Francisco was not able to send him to the minors in 2023, and after he batted .348 with a 1.105 on-base plus slugging mark in spring training, the club placed him on the Opening Day roster. In 110 games as a Giant in 2023, Sabol hit .236/.301/.394 with 13 home runs and 44 runs batted in while continuing to bounce between catcher and the outfield.
Sabol was optioned to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats to begin 2024, then returned to San Francisco for 11 appearances, where he slashed .313/.421/.375 with no home runs and one run batted in. On January 11, 2025, the Giants designated him for assignment following the signing of veteran pitcher Justin Verlander, ending his time in the San Francisco organization.
Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox (2025)
On January 15, 2025, San Francisco 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 start the season. After starting catcher Connor Wong landed on the 10-day injured list, Sabol was called up on April 8 and appeared in eight games for Boston, going 2-for-16 with one run batted in and one walk. The Red Sox designated him for assignment on June 1, and after clearing waivers he was sent outright to Worcester on June 5.
On July 12, 2025, the Red Sox traded Sabol to the Chicago White Sox for cash considerations, and he was assigned to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. With Charlotte he appeared in 23 games, batting .216/.326/.378 with three home runs and 13 runs batted in. The White Sox released him on November 5, 2025, freeing him to consider his next opportunity.
Tampa Bay Rays (2026)
On January 7, 2026, Sabol signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, the day he turned 28, giving him a chance to earn a roster spot in spring training. Through the 2025 season, his career MLB line stood at .237 batting average, 13 home runs, and 46 runs batted in across his time with the Giants and Red Sox. That versatility, combined with his left-handed bat and experience behind the plate, made him an intriguing depth option for the Rays’ system.
Driving Style and Strengths
Sabol’s profile is built on flexibility and a patient offensive approach. He has spent meaningful innings at catcher, in left and right field, and at designated hitter, which has allowed managers to keep his bat in the lineup even on days he does not start behind the plate. His minor league track record of high on-base numbers and steady extra-base production suggests a hitter who works counts and looks to drive the ball to the gaps, with enough athleticism to handle corner outfield duty as well as catching responsibilities.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Sabol’s career came on draft night in December 2022, when he was taken with the fourth overall pick in the Rule 5 draft by Cincinnati and immediately flipped to San Francisco, prompting his tongue-in-cheek remark about being a “Cincinnati Reds legend.” He made his MLB debut with the Giants in 2023 and cracked double-digit home runs as a rookie, then navigated a whirlwind 2025 that included trades to Boston and Chicago, a return to Triple-A, and a release before landing a minor league deal with Tampa Bay in January 2026.
Blake Sabol Career Highlights
Across his professional career, Sabol has combined a strong offensive foundation in the minors with a more measured first chapter in the majors. His most productive season statistically was 2022, when he batted .284/.363/.497 with 19 home runs and 75 runs batted in between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis. In the big leagues, his most notable year came as a 2023 rookie with San Francisco, where he hit 13 home runs in 110 games while splitting time between catcher and the outfield.
Blake Sabol Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Sabol comes from a tight-knit family with deep ties to baseball and to his Samoan heritage. His father, Rob Sabol, was a college player at Cal State Long Beach, while his older brother, Stefan, played catcher at the University of Oregon and later in the New York Mets system. Through his mother, Carmalita Brown, Sabol is a second cousin of Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu, a connection that has been a frequent point of reference in stories about his background.
Personal Life
Sabol was raised in Aliso Viejo, California, in a household that valued athletics, education, and cultural heritage. His mother’s American Samoan roots kept him closely connected to a Samoan community in Southern California throughout his childhood, and the family connection to Troy Polamalu gave him an early window into life as a professional athlete. Public details about a spouse or children have not been disclosed in available sources.
2025 Season Performance
Sabol’s 2025 season was defined by movement between organizations rather than extended time in the majors. After being designated for assignment by the Giants in January, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox, optioned to Triple-A Worcester, and briefly called up in April during Connor Wong’s stint on the injured list. In eight games with Boston he managed only two hits in 16 at-bats before being designated for assignment again on June 1.
He cleared waivers and was sent back to Worcester before a midseason trade to the Chicago White Sox organization on July 12, where he was assigned to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. With Charlotte he appeared in 23 games, batting .216 with three home runs and 13 runs batted in, before being released on November 5. Through the 2025 season, his combined MLB line was .237 with 13 home runs and 46 runs batted in.
The late-year release set up a reset point for Sabol as he entered the 2026 calendar year, and on January 7, 2026, his 28th birthday, he signed a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. The contract gave him a path to compete for a roster spot in spring training and continue developing as a catcher and outfielder at the upper levels of the minors. With his positional flexibility and a patient offensive approach, the 2026 season represents an important opportunity for Sabol to reestablish himself in affiliated baseball.