Asher Sabom, former Georgia RHP, commits to UCF Baseball

The 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher and former Georgia Bulldog announced his commitment to the Knights this past weekend shortly after wrapping up a visit to Orlando, giving head coach Rich Wallace and UCF a high-upside arm as they look to retool for 2026.

"Coach Wallace really blew me away," Sabom said. "Just the way he talked about building the program, how much he cares about doing things the right way and investing in his players. That really stood out. Everything just felt right."

Sabom, a native of Ball Ground, Ga., was one of the top prep pitchers in the state coming out of North Cobb Christian. A Perfect Game 10 Grade recruit, he helped lead his high school to back-to-back state championships and posted a 1.20 ERA with 103 strikeouts over 67 innings as a senior in 2024. He was rated the No. 9 right-handed pitcher in Georgia and No. 313 overall player nationally in his class.

Originally committed to Wofford, Sabom flipped to Georgia after a coaching change and spent the 2025 season in Athens. He took a medical redshirt after shoulder soreness sidelined him early in the spring, but he's now back on a throwing progression and feeling healthy again.

"My arm is feeling good now," Sabom said. "I didn’t need surgery, just rest. The plan is to continue building back this summer and be ready to compete when I get to UCF later this summer."

Sabom said he had a positive experience at UGA and felt he was making significant progress prior to shutting things down.

"I think I have the ability to throw a really good sinker," Sabom said. "When I first got on campus at Georgia, I didn't really know how to control it. I had a fastball that kind of it would be metrically different sometimes. It would have a lot of run and sink at times and then it'd be kind of flat.

"But (UGA) Coach Wes (Johnson) really helped me learn how to control my sinker. And now I feel like that's my best pitch.

"All fall, that's really what I threw majority of times to right-handed batters. And I feel like I can get ground balls early in the count just because of how my fastball moves, which could potentially allow me to go deeper into games if I'm getting early contact in at-bats instead of kind of going deep into counts."

Sabom entered the transfer portal in early June, and UCF was one of the first schools to reach out. He had prior ties with recruiting coordinator Norberto Lopez, who had recruited him during high school. That led to a visit just days later and ultimately his commitment.

"Coach Lopez texted me the itinerary the night before, and he took me all over campus on a golf cart, showing me everything I needed to see," Sabom said. "Then meeting Coach Wallace and the rest of the staff, talking about the direction of the program, the upgrades coming to the field, it all just made sense."

UCF is looking to bounce back in 2026 following a tough season in Big 12 play. After reaching a NCAA Regional in Wallace's first season in 2024, the program's first appearance since 2017, the Knights are aiming to get back to that level with a strong transfer class.

Sabom could be a key piece in that effort. Though no role has been promised, he's eager to prove himself.

"They didn't guarantee anything, which I'm totally fine with," he said. "Starter, reliever, closer, I just want to compete and help the team however I can."

He also connected quickly with UCF pitching coach Drew Thomas.

"We talked right away about my strengths, the metrics, what stands out in my arsenal," Sabom said. "He liked my sinker, and we talked about adding a cutter and continuing to develop. It was clear he knows what he's doing and has a real plan for me."

Now, with a fresh start ahead, Sabom is ready for the next chapter.

"I'm super excited," he said. "It's a new place, a new challenge. I'm just ready to get to campus, meet the guys, and start building something special."