Jayvien Sandridge’s long, winding road through professional baseball is back to where it all started.
The Baltimore Orioles acquired Sandridge from the Anaheim Angels for cash considerations last weekend, returning the Hagerstown native and Mercersburg Academy graduate back to the area.
Sandridge was selected by the Orioles in the 32nd round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. He spent two seasons in the Baltimore organization before becoming a free agent in 2020 and spending time with four other MLB organizations.
Now, at age 27, he returns as an important option to bolstering the Orioles bullpen this season. Some injuries and a need for flexibility to be recalled and optioned made the 6-foot-4 left hander an attractive option.
The Angels had designated Sandridge for assignment before the start of the 2026 season, paving the way for Baltimore’s move.
He was immediately optioned to Triple A Norfolk to prepare for possible promotions.
After leaving the Orioles, Sandridge tolled in the minors with Cincinnati, San Diego and the New York Yankees before catching on with Anaheim this season. The Yankees sent Sandridge to Anaheim on Jan. 29 for cash.
Sandridge allowed five runs on five hits in two innings for the Angels in spring training and was designated for assignment before Opening Day, opening the door for his return to Baltimore.
Sandridge made his major league debut – his only appearance – for the Yankees on July 5, 2025 against the New York Mets.
The first two batters he faced to start his Major League career were Juan Soto and Pete Alonso, a pair of marquees multi-All-Star selected players in the heart of the Mets’ batting order.
Sandridge took the mound and walked Soto, one of the highest paid players in baseball, before giving up a three-run home run to left field to Alonso. Alonso, the two-time Major League Home Run Derby winner.
Sandridge bounced back immediately by striking out Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos, but walked Luis Torrens and hit Jeff McNeil with a pitch before being lifted.
Sandridge pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowing two runs on one hit with two walks, two strikeouts and a hit batter, to start his career with a 27.00 earned run average.
The appearance ended a 15-day stretch, filled with frequent flyer milege.
He was called up by the Yankees from Triple A affiliate Scranton-Wikes Barre on June 19 to replace injured reliever Yerry De los Santos. He was returned to Scranton-Wikes Barre on June 20.
A second callup came on June 22, but Sandridge was option again on the next day.
Sandridge has been relentless in his drive to play pro baseball.
He climbed Hagerstown’s youth league ladder, playing at Federal Little League, Hagerstown PONY League and Funkstown Post 211 American Legion.
In his sophomore year, Sandridge had a growth spurt, which got his interests back into baseball. A change of sports, diet and workouts rounded him into a 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame.
But his physical stature looks more fitting for lineman. He played football at Mercersburg Academy where his father, Juwuane, was coaching. The elder Sandridge is presently the head football coach at South Hagerstown.
At Mercersburg, he went 7-0 with a 0.97 ERA over 43 innings in his senior year, while striking out 70. He allowed 23 hits and walked 29, but only allowed six earned runs. The Blue Storm went 19-5 and won two league titles — the Mid-Atlantic Prep League and the Independent-Parochial School League — that season.
