The Chicago White Sox have officially parted ways with catcher, a move that was quietly noted in a recent minor-league transaction report compiled by Matt Eddy of Baseball America. While it was not a high-profile transaction that generated waves across the baseball world, it marked the end of a short and somewhat uneventful chapter in Sabol’s professional career.
The White Sox had only recently obtained Sabol in a July trade with the Boston Red Sox, and though there was mild curiosity surrounding what he might contribute to the organization, he ultimately spent his entire stint with Chicago in Triple-A, playing for their affiliate, the Charlotte Knights.
Sabol, a 27-year-old catcher and outfielder, has taken an unconventional road through professional baseball. His journey began when the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted him in 2017. Immediately after entering the Pirates’ system, he demonstrated an impressive ability to make an impact with the bat. Over his first few seasons in the minors, Sabol earned a reputation as a hitter with notable offensive upside.
He consistently produced above-average numbers at multiple levels, showing a blend of power, plate discipline, and athleticism not always associated with young catchers working their way through a farm system. Because of those encouraging results, he gradually climbed Pittsburgh’s organizational ladder.
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In 2022, Sabol reached the highest level of the minors––Triple-A––and continued to perform well. Over a small sample of 25 games at that level, he put together an eye-catching stat line, slashing .296/.426/.543. Those numbers reflect not only strong batting average and power, but also an advanced ability to get on base.
A nearly .426 on-base percentage suggested that Sabol was seeing pitches well, working deep counts, and demonstrating consistent offensive value. For a player trying to prove he could be major-league material, especially at a demanding defensive position like catcher, that performance set him up for future opportunities.
His progress did not go unnoticed. Following the 2022 season, Sabol became eligible for the Rule 5 Draft––a mechanism MLB uses to keep teams from stockpiling talent in the minors without giving them a chance to reach the big leagues. He was selected by the Cincinnati Reds, a sign that other organizations believed he was close to MLB-ready.
Almost immediately after the selection, the Reds traded him to the San Francisco Giants, who viewed him as a versatile left-handed hitter capable of contributing behind the plate and in the outfield. The combination of power, positional flexibility, and athleticism made Sabol intriguing to a Giants team looking to strengthen its roster with affordable, controllable talent.
Sabol spent the 2023 season in the major leagues with San Francisco, where he got his first true opportunity to test his skills against big-league pitching. While there were growing pains––as there often are for young hitters adjusting to MLB velocity, sequencing, and scouting––Sabol showcased legitimate home run power. Across 344 plate appearances, he finished the season with 13 home runs. Few Rule 5 players stick in the majors for an entire season, but Sabol did, which says something about how the Giants valued his potential.
Defensively, he split time between catcher and left field, making 46 starts behind the plate and another 32 starts in the outfield. The Giants appreciated his ability to be deployed in multiple roles, giving them lineup flexibility and the option to manage matchups more effectively. However, the offensive side of his game revealed areas needing improvement. While Sabol could hit for power, plate discipline proved to be a significant issue.
He struck out in 34% of his plate appearances––a very high rate––and drew walks only 7% of the time. In the majors, being able to recognize pitches, lay off breaking balls outside the zone, and avoid chasing fastballs elevated beyond the zone often determines whether a young hitter can carve out a stable career. In Sabol’s case, pitchers exploited his aggressiveness, and although his power showed promise, the strikeout-to-walk ratio limited his overall offensive effectiveness.
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The 2024 season was far different from his experience the year prior. Instead of spending the bulk of his time in the majors, Sabol played the majority of the season in Triple-A with the Sacramento River Cats, the Giants’ top affiliate. While he did have two brief call-ups with San Francisco, logging only 38 plate appearances over 11 games, his time in the big leagues that year was minimal.
Even so, when he did receive playing time, he performed well in his limited sample. He registered a 129 wRC+—a valuable metric that compares offensive performance to league average (with 100 being average). That number indicated that, during those brief appearances, Sabol hit significantly better than the average major-league player. It reaffirmed that although he struggled with consistency at the plate, there was still upside in his offensive profile.
Once the 2024 season concluded, the Giants made the decision to designate Sabol for assignment. Organizations often have to make tough roster choices at the end of a season—sometimes choosing between depth pieces, prospects who need 40-man roster protection, or free-agent acquisitions.
With San Francisco’s catching depth evolving and other roster priorities taking precedence, Sabol became the odd man out. After being designated for assignment, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for international bonus pool money. These types of trades are common when teams try to extract value from a player who may not fit into future plans but still holds value for another club.
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Sabol’s time in Boston was brief and did not produce much in the way of results. Over just eight major-league games for the Red Sox, he collected only two hits in 18 at-bats. Boston, like San Francisco, found itself dealing with roster pressure and competition at the catching position. With limited opportunity to play and produce, Sabol struggled to make an impression.
By the time he arrived in the White Sox organization via trade, the situation was not particularly promising. Chicago already had catching depth, and much of it was younger and more highly regarded. The White Sox are currently working through a transitional phase, focusing on developing players they believe can become long-term core pieces. Two of their most notable catching prospects, Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, are both considered potential future everyday catchers with considerable upside. Both are younger than Sabol and valued highly by the organization.
In addition to those prospects, the White Sox also rostered veteran catcher Korey Lee, who already had experience at the major-league level and had earned playing time throughout the season.
With three catchers ahead of him in the pecking order—two emerging young talents and one established big-league option—Sabol’s chances of receiving a real shot at the major-league level were slim from the moment he arrived. As a result, the White Sox assigned him to Triple-A Charlotte, where he remained until the organization released him.
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With his release, Sabol now enters free agency, once again needing to find an opportunity where his skills fit an organizational need. Despite his challenges in the majors, Sabol has attributes that could interest teams: left-handed power, ability to play both catcher and outfield, and productive minor-league offensive numbers.
Organizations frequently look for depth at catcher, one of the most physically demanding and injury-prone positions in baseball. A player like Sabol—athletic, versatile, and still relatively young—may draw attention from teams seeking experience at Triple-A or looking for a backup who can provide occasional offense.
Sabol’s career so far has mirrored that of many fringe major-league players: flashes of promise, scattered opportunities, and a constant battle for roster security. His journey underscores how difficult maintaining a spot at the highest level of baseball can be.
Even players with clear upside face intense competition, limited opportunity, and roster decisions driven by organizational direction. Now, Sabol will wait for the next door to open, hoping to find a situation where his bat, versatility, and determination give him a chance to carve out a consistent role in the big leagues.
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