BLACKSBURG - On Wednesday, August 17, the Oakland Athletics organization officially announced the promotion of former Virginia Tech infielder Chad Pinder to the Major League level. Pinder becomes the 18th Hokie to reach the highest level of professional baseball and joins the team in Texas, where the Athletics are concluding a three-game series with the Rangers tonight.
Pinder, a Poquoson, Virginia product, played for the Hokies from 2011 through 2013 and became the sixth-highest draft pick ever for the program when Oakland selected him with the 71st overall pick in the 2013 MLB draft. Every season since he’s left Blacksburg, Pinder has taken the next step on his way to the big leagues.