Adam Pendleton Inks Deal With Tampa Bay Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The starting catcher for the national champion University of Tampa baseball team, Adam Pendleton, has signed a free agent deal with the Tampa Bay Rays and will report to Port Charlotte.

Pendleton, a senior from Tampa, is a four-year letterwinner who played in 50 games as a senior captain for the Spartans. He hit .335 with one home run and 35 RBI. He also posted a .997 fielding percentage and threw out 14 runners.

Also a finalist for the Josh Willingham Award, which is awarded to the Most Valuable player in the nation, Pendleton has also earned a host of academic awards. A Capital One Academic All-District selection, Pendleton has earned the distinction on two occasions. He is also a three-time Sunshine State Conference Honor Roll member and recipient of a D2 ADA Academic Award.

Pendleton completed his four-year UT career with a national championship as he played in 141 games under head coach Joe Urso. With 107 starts, he hit .296 with four home runs and 71 RBI. Among all-time leaders in program history, Pendleton ranks second in fielding percentage (.993) and caught stealing (26) and fourth in lowest stolen base against (.835). He also tied a school record in 2012 with a perfect fielding percentage.