Texas Border Business
TEMPE, Arizona – Shortstop Christian Sepulveda, who played for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) baseball team from 2019-21, signed with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization and was assigned to the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Angels.
Sepulveda made his professional debut last season with the Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League, a designated “Partner League” of Major League Baseball, hitting .317/.392/.547 with seven home runs, 12 doubles, two triples, 42 RBI, 47 runs scored and 16 stolen bases in 44 games.
During the 2021 collegiate season at UTRGV, Sepulveda started all 58 games, hitting .292/.389/.400 with two home runs, 11 doubles, two triples, 34 RBI, 45 runs scored and 13 stolen bases en route to All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Honorable Mention. He tied for fifth in the WAC in stolen bases and tied for eighth in runs scored.
Sepulveda came to UTRGV from Galveston College in 2019, hitting .274/.381/.463 with nine home runs, 11 doubles, 40 RBI, 44 runs scored and nine stolen bases in 53 games to help the Vaqueros win the WAC Championship. For his efforts, Sepulveda earned All-WAC Second Team Shortstop honors.
He then hit .297/.382/.391 with six doubles, 13 RBI, 11 runs scored and two steals in 18 games in 2020.
Sepulveda twice played in collegiate summer wooden bat leagues, first in 2018 with Brazos Valley of the Texas Collegiate League, for whom he hit .253/.335/.519 with nine home runs, 12 doubles, two triples, 33 RBI, 30 runs scored and 13 stolen bases in 47 games. He then played for the Wisconsin Rapids of the Northwoods League in 2020, batting .290/.377/.457 with five home runs, eight doubles, 32 RBI, 23 runs scored and nine stolen bases in 43 games.
Sepulveda completed his Bachelor of Multidisciplinary Studies in the spring of 2020.
Sepulveda is one of three alumni known to be actively competing in professional baseball, along with Sepulveda’s former teammate, catcher Conrado Diaz (2019-21), who is playing for the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol, and right-handed pitcher Dusten Knight (2013-13), who is playing with the Durham Bulls, the Triple-A East affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.
Knight has already made one appearance with the Rays this season, striking out three in 2.1 innings of relief while allowing a run on three hits and one walk against Oakland on April 13.
Knight has yet to allow an earned run for Durham in 7.0 innings across six games, striking out 13 while allowing one unearned run on one hit and four walks. He also has two saves.
Knight made his Major League debut with the Baltimore Orioles last September, striking out 11 in 8.2 innings across seven appearances.
