This is one in a series breaking down players on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 40-man roster.
It’s tough to find many feel-good stories in a year where so much went wrong for the Pirates, but Cam Sanders making his debut was certainly one of them.
Sanders took the mound for the first time at PNC Park in a game against the San Francisco Giants on Aug. 8. He tossed two-scoreless innings and recorded the first two strikeouts of his career.
The recently-turned 29-year-old went on two make six more appearances with the Pirates in 2025 and pitched well outside of a five-run clunker against the Cincinnati Reds in Pittsburgh on Aug. 10.
It was a long time coming for Sanders, who began his professional career in the Chicago Cubs’ organization in 2018 after he was drafted in the 12th round out of Louisiana State University.
Sanders, who signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates last offseason, spent seven seasons in the minors before his first chance in the big leagues. He began the 2025 season with Double-A Altoona before he was bumped up to Triple-A Indianapolis, leading to a phone call he’d never forget.
It’s uncertain what the future holds for Sanders. But no mater what comes next, he’ll forever get to call himself a big leaguer after finally making his long-awaited debut.
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