North Carolina State University Athletics
Sam Highfill Signs Free Agent Contract with Philadelphia Phillies
7/22/2024 10:25:00 AM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State right-handed starting pitcher Sam Highfill signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Philadelphia Phillies this past weekend.
Highfill, a Third Team All-ACC honoree in 2024, became the first Wolfpack pitcher to throw in multiple Men's College World Series in this past season's postseason run. He joins NC State corner infielders Alec Makarewicz (Chicago White Sox) and Garrett Pennington (Detroit Tigers) as the three Pack9 players who have signed undrafted free agent contracts following the 2024 MLB Draft.
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.
Sam Highfill | UDFA | Philadelphia Phillies
Highfill's historic collegiate career ended in an outstanding start in Omaha, tossing seven innings while allowing just three runs with seven strikeouts against No. 2 Kentucky on June 15. In 2024, Highfill started all 17 games in his final season in a Wolfpack uniform, leading all NC State pitchers with 87.0 innings pitched, 82 strikeouts and seven pitching victories.
Highfill finished with a 7-2 record in 2024, limiting opposing batters to a .226 batting average against him. The Wolfpack went 14-3 in games Highfill started, winning eight straight games from March 22 to May 16 in games he toed the rubber. He concluded his Wolfpack career with 26 career pitching victories, a mark that ranks tied for fifth in program history.
The right-hander led Wolfpack pitchers with six wins in 2023, making 16 bullpen appearances and six starts. In 2022, Highfill made six starts and had a 1-1 record before missing the remainder of the season due to injury.
In 2021, Highfill helped lead the Wolfpack to its third trip to Omaha in program history, leading the pitching staff with a 3.66 ERA and 9-2 record as a second-year freshman. NC State won the final 10 games Highfill started in 2021 as he went at least five innings in nine of those 10 outings. The Apex, North Carolina native pitched a two-hit shutout in 7.1 innings and then went 3-for-4 at the plate in back-to-back games (June 21 and June 25) against Vanderbilt in the College World Series. He was later selected to the 2021 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
In a shortened 2020 season, Highfill made six relief appearances and finished with a 3.21 ERA and 3-1 record in 14.0 innings pitched. He was credited with a win in each of his first three appearances of the year.
Highfill, a Third Team All-ACC honoree in 2024, became the first Wolfpack pitcher to throw in multiple Men's College World Series in this past season's postseason run. He joins NC State corner infielders Alec Makarewicz (Chicago White Sox) and Garrett Pennington (Detroit Tigers) as the three Pack9 players who have signed undrafted free agent contracts following the 2024 MLB Draft.
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.
Sam Highfill | UDFA | Philadelphia Phillies
Highfill's historic collegiate career ended in an outstanding start in Omaha, tossing seven innings while allowing just three runs with seven strikeouts against No. 2 Kentucky on June 15. In 2024, Highfill started all 17 games in his final season in a Wolfpack uniform, leading all NC State pitchers with 87.0 innings pitched, 82 strikeouts and seven pitching victories.
Highfill finished with a 7-2 record in 2024, limiting opposing batters to a .226 batting average against him. The Wolfpack went 14-3 in games Highfill started, winning eight straight games from March 22 to May 16 in games he toed the rubber. He concluded his Wolfpack career with 26 career pitching victories, a mark that ranks tied for fifth in program history.
The right-hander led Wolfpack pitchers with six wins in 2023, making 16 bullpen appearances and six starts. In 2022, Highfill made six starts and had a 1-1 record before missing the remainder of the season due to injury.
In 2021, Highfill helped lead the Wolfpack to its third trip to Omaha in program history, leading the pitching staff with a 3.66 ERA and 9-2 record as a second-year freshman. NC State won the final 10 games Highfill started in 2021 as he went at least five innings in nine of those 10 outings. The Apex, North Carolina native pitched a two-hit shutout in 7.1 innings and then went 3-for-4 at the plate in back-to-back games (June 21 and June 25) against Vanderbilt in the College World Series. He was later selected to the 2021 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
In a shortened 2020 season, Highfill made six relief appearances and finished with a 3.21 ERA and 3-1 record in 14.0 innings pitched. He was credited with a win in each of his first three appearances of the year.
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