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Rye Brook native, UNC slugger Aaron Sabato prepares for MLB Draft

Eugene Rapay, Rockland/Westchester Journal News
https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/college/2020/06/09/rye-brook-aaron-sabato-mlb-draft/5327202002/

Standing a sturdy 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, Rye Brook native Aaron Sabato is fearless when he steps up to the plate. Opposing pitchers are the ones who often get nervous.

And now the big-hitting Sabato is swinging for the majors, hoping that his presence in the batter’s box and his ability on the diamond will be enough to hear his name called during this week’s MLB Draft.

“It’s just the fear that I put in pitchers’ eyes, when I step in the box,” Sabato said of what he hopes scouts take away from his play. “The fear that if you make a mistake, it’s gonna go a long way, and I can hit the ball and I can do things at the plate that other people can’t.”

With the uncertainty stemming from the coronavirus, resulting in the cancellation of the spring collegiate season and shaking up the professional sports calendar, the University of North Carolina sophomore originally decided to wait and see. Once Major League Baseball ironed out the details for this year’s draft, Sabato opted to forego the rest of his college eligibility to take the jump for the pros.

Instead of the usual 40-round draft, it’s being shortened to just five rounds and will be done virtually. The first round is scheduled for Wednesday, the rest on Thursday.

Sabato is widely projected to be selected late first round or early in the second. It’s a big week for the Tar Heel first baseman, who celebrated his 21st birthday last Thursday and is putting the finishing touches on draft preparations.

“It’s been a dream of mine since I was little and it’s just another step,” Sabato said of potentially being taken in the first round. “I’m trying to play in the major leagues and to be a first-round pick definitely increases your chances for that. It’s one of those things I’m just being completely grateful for and something I’ll never forget.”

Sabato attended school in the Blind Brook School District before becoming a standout player at nearby Brunswick, a private school located just across the border in Greenwich. At the 2017 Perfect Game National Showcase Event prior to his senior year, he broke Bryce Harper’s event record by hitting a ball with a 103-mph exit velocity.

In his first year at North Carolina, Sabato landed on the national radar. He earned co-National Freshman of the Year honors, along with first-team All-American and all-conference recognition. Sabato batted .343 with 63 RBI and his 18 home runs set a program record for the most by a freshman.

Through 19 games this spring, he batted .292, with seven home runs and 18 RBI. Despite the shortened season, Sabato was named a second-team All-American.

Chris McCarthy, the John Jay-Cross River athletic director, isn’t surprised to see his former pupil on the brink of realizing his dream. McCarthy has known Sabato since the star slugger was 12 years old. He previously coached him at Blue Tide Baseball, a travel team that typically attracts players from southern Westchester.

When Sabato was younger, he frequently played on older baseball teams and flourished against kids that were two or three years older.

“He would fill in and jump right in,” McCarthy said. “No matter how much younger he was, he just went right in with the group. You knew he was younger because of his baby face. He hadn’t grown into the big boy he is now, but his swing was undeniable. Even when he played up, he still had the best swing on the field. That’s how you knew. His swing was always different, and he was just such a student of the game.”

McCarthy recalls hitting buckets-worth of ground balls to a younger Sabato as part of a drill to test fielding ability and conditioning. Upon completion, it was time for a break, but he remembers a visibly exhausted Sabato smiling enthusiastically, always ready for the next drill.

“He’s all about the work; he loved to work,” McCarthy said. “Although he was dying at the time (from exhaustion), he was ready to go again. That’s why he’s where he is today, that drive and that push.”

Sabato carried that work ethic with him through the years. With stay-at-home procedures, the quarantine has only given him more time to dedicate toward his craft. Now home in Rye Brook, he spends hours each day taking swings in his backyard batting cage and lifting weights.

The wait is almost over and the cool-at-the-plate Sabato is trying to remain calm ahead of the big day.

“I like playing this game. It’s always been a dream of mine to play professional baseball,” he said. “Obviously, I want to play in the major leagues. As it gets closer, it’s still surreal going through everyday life realizing that the day is getting closer and closer. It’s just one of those things that you just try to not get caught up in it. You want to not overthink things or try to look at the mock draft and think, ‘Where am I going to go? Who’s going to draft me?’ Just let the pieces fall into place.”

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