Sam Dexter’s future in professional baseball is uncertain, but the Oakland native is undeterred. A graduate of Messalonskee High School and the University of Southern Maine, Dexter was released by the Chicago White Sox organization last week. Dexter is currently in Florida with the Colby College baseball team, where his father is an assistant coach, getting in some batting and fielding practice with the Mules.
“You never really expect that day to come,” Dexter said of his release. “You know how baseball is. It’s a business… This is just a small bump in the road. It won’t slow me down.”
Dexter said he’s been in touch with independent league teams around the country, looking for a roster spot for the upcoming season. Among the teams Dexter has looked into are clubs in the American Association, which has teams throughout the Midwest and central Canada, and the Can-Am League, which has teams in the Eastern United States and Canada.
“I’ve been talking to anyone I can, seeing what’s out there,” Dexter said.
Dexter, 24, was selected by the White Sox in the 23rd round of the 2016 draft. He played two seasons in the White Sox farm system, reaching the High A Winston-Salem Dash last season. An infielder, Dexter played in 25 games for the Dash, hitting .269 with an on base percentage of .342. Dexter scored five runs, with two home runs and seven runs batted in with the Dash. Dexter played for three teams last summer — Winston-Salem, the Kannapolis (N.C.) Intimidators, and the Great Falls (Mont.) Voyagers. A disabled list stint in Winston-Salem limited Dexter to 36 games last summer. In all three stops, he combined to hit .267 with an on base percentage of .353, with two home runs, 12 RBIs and eight runs.
Dexter made his minor league debut in 2016 in Great Falls, the first of three stops his rookie season. Dexter also played for the White Sox team in the Arizona Rookie League and Kannapolis, hitting .235 with two home runs, 17 RBIs and 16 runs in 47 games.
“I learned so much on those two seasons. I really cherish my time with the White Sox,” Dexter said. “I tried to be a sponge and soak up everything I could.”
Dexter graduated from USM in 2016 as the Huskies all-time leader in games (194), at bats (806), hits (312), doubles (81), extra base hits (109), sacrifice flies (19) and total bases (468). As a junior in 2015, Dexter was named Division III National Player of the Year after hitting .441 with eight home runs, 44 RBIs and 51 runs. Entering his senior season, Dexter was the only Division III player on the Golden Spikes watch list.
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM
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