Alma, Mich. - Athletic Director Steven Rackley announced that Jake Sabol has been hired as the head baseball coach for Alma College, effective January 4, 2016. Sabol becomes the 28th head coach in the storied history of Alma baseball, which dates back to 1901.
"I am thrilled to add someone with Jake's credentials to lead our baseball program," Rackley said. "With his connections in mid-Michigan, his professional playing experience and his passion for the game, I am confident that Jake will take Alma College baseball to the next level."
Sabol, who served as a pitching coach for the Scots under former head coach Scott Kingston during the 2013 campaign, comes to Alma after serving as the director of scouting for Prep Baseball Report for Michigan. In addition, Sabol has served as associate scout for the Toronto Blue Jays since August. Prior to his work with Prep Baseball Report and the Blue Jays, Sabol spent two seasons as an assistant coach at NCAA Division II Northwood University in Midland, Mich., where he was responsible for pitching, while handling recruiting, administrative duties and player development.
In his year at Alma, Sabol helped produce a Second Team All-Mideast Region reliever and Second Team All-MIAA starter, Jose Velez. Under Sabol's guidance, Velez led all of Division III in strikeouts per nine innings, while earning a professional contract with the Evansville Otters of the Frontier League. Velez eventually signed with the Minnesota Twins and is currently in the Miami Marlins organization.
"I am truly thankful for the opportunity to lead the Alma College baseball program," Sabol said. "It is an honor to be part of such a prestigious institution. Having been here back in 2012-13, I know that Alma College and the Alma community is a great place to call home and I am excited to join the Alma College family."
Sabol played collegiately at Central Michigan University, where he was a four-year letter winner from 2007-2011. A weekend starter for two seasons, Sabol helped lead the Chippewas to two Mid-American Conference West Championships as well as a MAC Regular Season Championship in 2010. Sabol's best season came as a senior in 2011, posting a 4-2 MAC record with a 3.18 ERA. He was named MAC West Pitcher of the Week after tossing back-to-back complete game shutouts of Ohio and Akron in April 2011 and again in May after hurling a complete game victory over Eastern Michigan to clinch the MAC West Championship. He was also named CMU's Scholar Athlete of the week in April 2011. Following his senior season, Sabol was the recipient of the Chippewa Award, symbolic of the player who best represents the Central Michigan University baseball program's mission statement.
While playing collegiately, Sabol also participated in numerous prestigious college baseball summer leagues, beginning in 2008 with the Pittsfield Dukes of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. In 2009, he was named first team All-Jayhawk League with the El Dorado Broncos. He was then named to the NBC World Series All-American Team and World Series MVP in Wichita, Kan., as a member of the 2009 NBC World Series National Champion El Dorado Broncos. Prior to his senior year, Sabol spent the summer of 2010 in the Alaska Baseball League with the Kenai Peninsula Oilers.
Sabol was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft and spent parts of two seasons in the Detroit farm system with the Gulf Coast League Tigers (Rookie) and the Connecticut Tigers (SS-A) in the New York Penn League. He went 3-3 with a 3.43 ERA in 13 games (10 starts) with the GCL Tigers in 2011. Sabol finished 2012 as a member of the Frontier League's Regular Season Champion Traverse City Beach Bums, and was named to the Frontier League All-Star game in 2013. In 30 career games for the Beach Bums, Sabol was 12-6 with a 2.86 ERA in 147.2 innings pitched.
A lifelong Michigan resident and 2006 graduate of De La Salle High School in Warren, Sabol graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelor's degree in Sports Management in 2011, finishing his career on the MAC Honor Roll. He also earned a master's degree in Business Administration from Northwood University in 2015.
"I am looking forward to bringing a strong passion for the game of baseball to this program while we strive to achieve a tradition of excellence both on the field and in the classroom," Sabol added. "I am forever thankful to those who've provided such great opportunities for me leading up to this point in my career. I am excited to get to campus and begin to work with our guys in preparation for the 2016 season."
The Scots open the 2016 season in late February when they travel to Florida to participate in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.