Savvy Sensation: Former Terp Bursts on Scene Back in Maryland

Savacool shining with another chance to be a starting pitcher

Playing professional baseball is always special and few athletes would pass up any opportunity to chase their pro baseball dreams. That chance is even more special when the player has roots in the community before they even suit up for the organization. That relationship rings true for Blue Crabs starting pitcher Jason Savacool, one of the newest faces on the Southern Maryland roster.

The 24-year-old hurler spent three seasons at the nearby University of Maryland. He emerged as one of the leading pitchers in the Big Ten, earning a Second Team All-American nod in 2022. He racked up 122 strikeouts that season, fourth-most in program history. He was also named to the 2021 Big Ten All-Freshman Team.

“We had a lot of success in my three years at Maryland,” said Savacool. We won a lot of games and hosted a regional in 2022. I had a lot of belief in the coaching staff and what they were building.”

After helping the Terrapins host their first-ever NCAA Regional, Savacool was selected by St. Louis in the sixth round of the 2023 draft. He went on to spend four seasons with the Cardinals organization, reaching Triple-A Memphis. He grinded through three seasons with Single-A Palm Beach before a breakout 2025 campaign which saw him earn a Florida State League Post-Season All-Star nod in addition to earning his first promotion to High-A Peoria.

“It was awesome, but also a big wave of relief to finally get that call. I started out my career a little bit rocky, but I made some adjustments. When I was back in Palm Beach again, I felt I had to go out there and prove myself, basically show the organization that they made the wrong decision. Eventually, by midseason, they were able to see that I was ready for the next level.”

Savacool separated himself in 11 outings with Palm Beach, pitching to a league-best 1.61 ERA. He continued his solid season with Peoria, finishing the year with a 7-4 record with a 2.99 ERA across both levels.

Despite a great 2025 campaign, Savacool was converted to a relief role to begin the 2026 season. Although he had the opportunity to play at the Triple-A level for the first time, he didn’t feel that he could fully thrive in that limited mold.

“After some good performances, they moved me to the bullpen and there wasn’t really a lot of warning. I struggled early, but then started to do a lot better towards the second half of the year. There was a lot of shuffling and I just never really felt like I got comfortable. Ultimately, I felt I was stagnant and they had gone in a different direction from the player mold I am.”

At his request, Savacool was released by St. Louis on July 13. He went on to sign with Southern Maryland on August 2. The decision to come back to the state of Maryland was an easy one for the Syracuse, NY native.

“I just kind of have had a soft spot for Maryland ever since college. Everything kind of lined up and made sense to play here. The nice part is that I have some family that lives down here, too. It’s nice to be able to connect with them and see some familiar faces. I also have a lot of good memories and I seem to play well here.”

That mojo has continued with Southern Maryland. His first two starts with the Blue Crabs both had an unorthodox end, as weather and an injury led to premature exits. He was able to go four innings last Friday against Lexington, holding the Legends hitless in an eventual Blue Crabs win.

Being with the Crabs isn’t just helping Savacool to get back his best with his on-field performances. He has had the opportunity to pick the brain of Kyle Virbitsky, who had a similar path to Waldorf. They were both standout pitchers at Big Ten schools who found success as a starting pitcher in affiliated baseball. They both were converted to a relief role ahead of signing with the Blue Crabs, moving back into a more-familiar position in the starting rotation with the team.

“We’re actually roommates on the road, so we’ve talked about our careers a ton. He’s told me to take advantage of the opportunity and do the best to get picked back up again in the future.”

As someone recently removed from a stint in Triple-A, Savacool remains hungry to rejoin an affiliated organization that will give him a chance to be a front-line starting pitcher again. During his short time with the Blue Crabs, though, he’s already enjoying the chances he has gotten to shine.

“I’ve had a lot of challenges over the past couple of years in my career where I’ve been stifled and not been able to be at the level I thought I deserved to be. Making this change and coming to play independent baseball was really important for me to fall in love with baseball again. When you’ve been doubted and beaten down a little bit, it’s tough to remain confident in yourself, but I think that’s what I’m trying to find here.”

“I want to come back and keep having fun because I love playing baseball so much. I want to play as long as I possibly can.”

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs have been proud members of the Atlantic League since 2008, the fourth-longest tenured team in the league. With a proud tradition of success on and off the field, many players have found a home while playing in front of Crustacean Nation, the nickname for the Blue Crabs’ avid fanbase. A host of former Major Leaguers have played for the Blue Crabs, including Chien-Ming Wang, Pat Mahomes Sr., and team legend Daryl Thompson. Many players have also made it to the Major Leagues after playing with Southern Maryland, including Isaac Mattson of the Pittsburgh Pirates. 2026 marks the 18th season of Blue Crabs baseball at Regency Furniture Stadium, where Clawsome Times Await.