Makarewicz, Pennington Sign Free Agent Contracts With White Sox, Tigers
7/17/2024 1:11:00 PM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State baseball corner infielders Alec Makarewicz and Garrett Pennington have signed undrafted free agent contracts with the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers, respectively.
A day after NC State had two players selected on Day Three of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft, Makarewicz and Pennington signed free agent deals with a pair of American League Central foes.
NC State had four players – Jacob Cozart, Eli Serrano III, Brandon Butterworth and Logan Whitaker – selected in the 2024 MLB Draft. With their selections, head coach Elliott Avent has now helped guide 131 players to MLB Draft selections during his 28-year NC State coaching career. NC State concludes the 2024 MLB Draft with 194 all-time draft selections.
Alec Makarewicz | UDFA | Chicago White Sox
Makarewicz turned in one of the best seasons in NC State single-season history in his sole season with the Wolfpack in 2024, leading NC State in a plethora of offensive categories. Makarewicz led the Pack with a .378 batting average, 98 hits, 24 home runs, 84 RBI, 195 total bases, a .753 slugging percentage, a .438 on-base percentage, 32 multi-hit games and 23 multi-RBI games.
The Wolfpack third baseman was one of four Pack9 players to play and start in all 61 games, making 60 starts at third base and one as the designated hitter. Makarewicz set a single-season program record with 195 total bases and ranked inside the top-10 in single-season history in RBI (second), home runs (T-fourth), slugging percentage (T-sixth) and hits (T-eighth).
Makarewicz shined in NC State's run to the 2024 Men's College World Series, leading the Wolfpack with a .395 batting average, 35 total bases, 15 hits, five doubles, five home runs and a .921 slugging percentage in the NCAA Tournament. He was named both to the NCAA All-Raleigh Regional Team and the Men's College World Series All-Tournament Team.
The switch-hitter also slugged three multi-homer games, homering from both sides of the plate twice. He logged a team-best 21-game hitting streak during the 2024 season.
All of Makarewicz's accomplishments helped him become NC State's 46th All-American in program history, earning honors from the ABCA, Baseball America, D1Baseball and the NCBWA. Makarewicz was also tabbed a Second Team All-ACC honoree and an ABCA/Rawlings All-Atlantic Region First Team recipient.
Garrett Pennington | UDFA | Detroit Tigers
Pennington exceled in his sole season at NC State in 2024, finishing the season as one of four Pack9 players to play and start in all 61 games. The Lenexa, Kansas native started all 61 games at first base and led the Wolfpack with 27 doubles, a mark that ranks tied for second in single-season program history.
Pennington also led the Pack with 75 runs scored, which ranks sixth in single-season program history. The first baseman's .350 batting average, 65 RBI, 45 extra-base hits, 90 hits, a .665 slugging percentage, 30 multi-hit games and 21 multi-RBI games ranked second on the NC State roster in 2024.
Pennington dominated in ACC play, leading the Pack with a .347 batting average, 43 hits, 31 runs scored, 11 homers, 38 RBI, 87 total bases and a .702 slugging percentage. Three of his four multi-homer games came against ACC opponents, smacking two home runs apiece against Duke, Notre Dame, Louisville and South Carolina.
Pennington played an integral role in helping lead NC State to its fourth appearance in the Men's College World Series, batting .382 with 13 hits, four doubles, four homers, six RBI and a .853 slugging percentage in eight NCAA Tournament games. He led all NC State players with 14 runs scored in the NCAA Tournament and earned a spot on the NCAA All-Raleigh Regional Team.
The Third Team All-ACC honoree also sported a .996 fielding percentage at first base with 438 putouts and 40 assists, committing just two errors on 480 defensive chances.
A day after NC State had two players selected on Day Three of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft, Makarewicz and Pennington signed free agent deals with a pair of American League Central foes.
NC State had four players – Jacob Cozart, Eli Serrano III, Brandon Butterworth and Logan Whitaker – selected in the 2024 MLB Draft. With their selections, head coach Elliott Avent has now helped guide 131 players to MLB Draft selections during his 28-year NC State coaching career. NC State concludes the 2024 MLB Draft with 194 all-time draft selections.
Alec Makarewicz | UDFA | Chicago White Sox
Makarewicz turned in one of the best seasons in NC State single-season history in his sole season with the Wolfpack in 2024, leading NC State in a plethora of offensive categories. Makarewicz led the Pack with a .378 batting average, 98 hits, 24 home runs, 84 RBI, 195 total bases, a .753 slugging percentage, a .438 on-base percentage, 32 multi-hit games and 23 multi-RBI games.
The Wolfpack third baseman was one of four Pack9 players to play and start in all 61 games, making 60 starts at third base and one as the designated hitter. Makarewicz set a single-season program record with 195 total bases and ranked inside the top-10 in single-season history in RBI (second), home runs (T-fourth), slugging percentage (T-sixth) and hits (T-eighth).
Makarewicz shined in NC State's run to the 2024 Men's College World Series, leading the Wolfpack with a .395 batting average, 35 total bases, 15 hits, five doubles, five home runs and a .921 slugging percentage in the NCAA Tournament. He was named both to the NCAA All-Raleigh Regional Team and the Men's College World Series All-Tournament Team.
The switch-hitter also slugged three multi-homer games, homering from both sides of the plate twice. He logged a team-best 21-game hitting streak during the 2024 season.
All of Makarewicz's accomplishments helped him become NC State's 46th All-American in program history, earning honors from the ABCA, Baseball America, D1Baseball and the NCBWA. Makarewicz was also tabbed a Second Team All-ACC honoree and an ABCA/Rawlings All-Atlantic Region First Team recipient.
Garrett Pennington | UDFA | Detroit Tigers
Pennington exceled in his sole season at NC State in 2024, finishing the season as one of four Pack9 players to play and start in all 61 games. The Lenexa, Kansas native started all 61 games at first base and led the Wolfpack with 27 doubles, a mark that ranks tied for second in single-season program history.
Pennington also led the Pack with 75 runs scored, which ranks sixth in single-season program history. The first baseman's .350 batting average, 65 RBI, 45 extra-base hits, 90 hits, a .665 slugging percentage, 30 multi-hit games and 21 multi-RBI games ranked second on the NC State roster in 2024.
Pennington dominated in ACC play, leading the Pack with a .347 batting average, 43 hits, 31 runs scored, 11 homers, 38 RBI, 87 total bases and a .702 slugging percentage. Three of his four multi-homer games came against ACC opponents, smacking two home runs apiece against Duke, Notre Dame, Louisville and South Carolina.
Pennington played an integral role in helping lead NC State to its fourth appearance in the Men's College World Series, batting .382 with 13 hits, four doubles, four homers, six RBI and a .853 slugging percentage in eight NCAA Tournament games. He led all NC State players with 14 runs scored in the NCAA Tournament and earned a spot on the NCAA All-Raleigh Regional Team.
The Third Team All-ACC honoree also sported a .996 fielding percentage at first base with 438 putouts and 40 assists, committing just two errors on 480 defensive chances.
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