Former New Haven center fielder Matt Chamberlain’s future became a lot clearer in a hurry on Sunday morning. The North Branford, Conn., native signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as an undrafted free agent, putting him on a bit of a clearer path amidst a time of uncertainty in the sports world.
“I was pretty much working with two different timelines because I was prepared to sign a contract or go for another year of college,” said Chamberlain, the 2019 Division 2 All-East Region outfielder who started all 140 of the Chargers’ games over his four-year career, posting a .297 career average and .471 on-base percentage with 11 home runs, 80 RBI and 120 runs scored.
“I remember getting a call from the Cardinals a few weeks ago out of nowhere, and they sent me a questionnaire and some information. (Area Scout) Jim Negrych called me last Monday and asked if I’d sign for the allotted amount. I told him I would, and he told me we’d be in touch. I didn’t want to get my hopes up because I went through something similar last year.”
It was certainly an unusual time. Once the NCAA announced its decision to offer all spring student-athletes an extra year of eligibility as a result of the cancelled seasons, Chamberlain was set to attend Stony Brook University as a graduate transfer and had a Futures Collegiate League roster spot with the New Britain Bees lined up for the summer.
