Former Phillies third-round pick and Reading outfielder Cord Sandberg announced Wednesday he is retiring from baseball to pursue a career in football.
In 54 games for Reading this season, Sandberg hit .231 with three home runs. A career .243 hitter, the Phillies never got a true return on investment from the Bradenton native.
Philadelphia selected Sandberg out of high school in 2013 despite a commitment to play quarterback at Mississippi State. He’s played nearly 500 minor league games, and received his first promotion to Double-A Reading last year.
Sandberg, now 23, was a four-star prospect according to 24/7 Sports and had offers from 14 Division I schools prior to choosing baseball.