CC Sabathia was cruising around with some buddies when his phone rang. The caller ID showed Rickie Weeks Jr., a name Sabathia knows well from their days as teammates in Milwaukee. Weeks had news that would make any Hall of Famer emotional.
The Brewers just drafted Carsten Sabathia III, CC’s son, in the 20th round of the 2026 MLB Draft. Pick No. 611 overall. A first baseman from the University of Houston who hit .283 with six homers and 18 RBIs in 37 games this spring. Not a first-round splash, but the moment carried weight that no draft position can measure.
Weeks, now working in baseball ops and scouting for the Brewers, made the call. That connection between Milwaukee’s 2008 playoff push and this new chapter is hard to ignore. The Brewers traded for Sabathia at the deadline that year, he went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA in 17 starts, and the franchise ended a 26-year postseason drought almost single-handedly because of him. He only spent a few months in Milwaukee, but the bond has never faded.
The Full-Circle Moment That Got Everybody Talking
The video clip from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Curt Hogg shows Sabathia telling the story with a grin that doesn’t quit. He’s sitting there, surrounded by friends, and his old teammate pops up on his phone.
“So I was actually in the car with all my friends, and then Rickie Weeks called me,” Sabathia said. “So it was kind of crazy, full circle. Teammate calls you about your son getting drafted by the organization he works for is cool.”
That’s the kind of moment that makes draft weekend feel less like a business transaction and more like a family reunion. The Brewers inducted Sabathia into their Wall of Honor back in May, and now two months later they’re giving his kid a shot to carve out his own legacy. The timeline is almost poetic.
What Carsten Sabathia III Brings to Milwaukee
Let’s be real here. A 20th-round pick is a long shot by definition. But Carsten has a frame that projects power and a swing that the Brewers scouting department clearly liked enough to take a chance on. He showed some pop at Houston with an .885 OPS, and the Cougars schedule isn’t exactly soft. He’ll need to tighten up the approach against professional pitching, but the raw ability is there.
The name Sabathia opens doors, sure. But once you’re in the building, nobody cares who your dad is. The game treats everyone the same once the bus leaves for rookie ball.
Why This Story Hits Different
Milwaukee doesn’t get many Hall of Famers passing through. Sabathia’s half-season there was legendary, but it was brief. The fact that he still has that kind of connection to the organization speaks to something real. Maybe it’s the city. Maybe it’s the fans. Maybe it’s just the memory of that 2008 run when Miller Park felt like a volcano about to erupt every night.
Eighteen years later, the Brewers drafted his son. That’s not a headline you write. That’s just what happened.
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