Another Phillies minor leaguer is retiring mid-season, but this time for a different reason
Former Phillies third-round pick and Reading outfielder Cord Sandberg announced Wednesday he is retiring from baseball to pursue a career in football.
In 54 games for Reading this season, Sandberg hit .231 with three home runs. A career .243 hitter, the Phillies never got a true return on investment from the Bradenton native.
Philadelphia selected Sandberg out of high school in 2013 despite a commitment to play quarterback at Mississippi State. He’s played nearly 500 minor league games, and received his first promotion to Double-A Reading last year.
Sandberg, now 23, was a four-star prospect according to 24/7 Sports and had offers from 14 Division I schools prior to choosing baseball.
The official announcement was made on Sandberg’s Twitter page where he thanked the Phillies for his time in the organization. It’s unknown where he’ll play next season, whether it be college or professional.
I want to thank the @Phillies for allowing me to chase a dream of mine for the last 6 seasons, but it’s time to chase another one. pic.twitter.com/TsFAiK2r3F
— Cord Sandberg (@sandberg_cord) July 4, 2018
Sandberg is the second Phillies minor leaguer to retire midseason, following Andrew Pullin in May.
Reading’s roster currently stands with three active outfielders: Cornelius Randolph, Jan Hernandez, and Jiandido Tromp. Hernandez is having a strong season with 10 home runs and a .292 batting average, while the former first round pick Randolph continues to struggle.
Touted as a pure hitter, the 21-year-old is hitting .201 with one home run this season for Reading. At this rate, he’ll likely be passed by two of the organization’s last three first round picks, outfielders Mickey Moniak and Adam Haseley.
Both Moniak and Haseley are playing in Advanced-A Clearwater, and Haseley is hitting nearly .300 this season in 74 games. Moniak’s development hasn’t been as smooth as the Phillies had hoped when they drafted him number one overall, and wisdom tooth surgery has hindered him this season.