CM grad Probst transfers from Seton Hall to Alabama
LOCK HAVEN, PA – In August of 2021, former Central Mountain baseball standout Zane Probst traveled three hours east for what would be an outstanding sophomore season pitching for the Seton Hall (NJ) Blue Pirates this past spring. But this past weekend saw Probst making the 15-hour drive southwest to Tuscaloosa, AL, to become a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide baseball program.
Before he left Clinton County and while in the process of getting a haircut during a brief visit home, Probst spent some time with The Record to talk about his transfer decision. He did so after coming off a memorable summer pitching in the prestigious wooden-bat Cape Cod Baseball League where he was selected an all-star with the Harwich Mariners.
Probst said the decision to switch was “difficult…kind of a business decision” as he has hopes to be a professional pitcher and Alabama, in the powerful Southeastern Conference, is in a higher profile league.
He said he entered the players transfer portal, something relatively new in the NCAA where athletes can have their names and stats entered in the portal and other programs have the opportunity to seek them out. Alabama, he said, gave him “the offer I wanted.” He said there were two Crimson Tide players on his Harwich team and coaches from the school also had a chance to see him perform.
Probst said he switched from reliever to starter midway through the Cape League’s eight-week season and had immediate success. He said the experience as a starter told him he “has what it takes” to be a starter and by starting it should “definitely be beneficial for the major league draft.” He said at this point the Alabama staff is talking about using him as a bullpen closer as they lost the pitcher who filled that role in the big league draft this year. He said he’s not sure exactly where he’ll be on the mound and said fall ball will be starting later this month. He noted that he had started only one game as a sophomore and junior in coach Mike Kramer’s Central Mountain program; otherwise, he was a closer in high school. His talented team his high school senior year never got to play due to COVID.
In the meantime, Probst said, his coaches told him to take the opportunity “one inning at a time.”
The Harwich roster at the end of the season listed Probst as attending Alabama and his size at 6-4 and 210 pounds. He will be the second Clinton County athlete to play at Alabama. Joe Caruso had a standout four-year career (1994-97) with the Crimson Tide and later played seven years of minor league baseball, advancing as high at Triple-A until retiring.
As for his class work, Probst said he’ll continue as a criminal justice major with a minor in psychology.
