CHICAGO – Catcher Steven Lancia, who played for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) baseball team for the last four years, signed with the Chicago White Sox organization on Monday.
 
Lancia is the second player from the 2025 team known to have signed a professional contract along with pitcher Angelo Cabral, who is playing with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the American Association.
 
 
Lancia is looking to become the sixth alum to ever reach the major leagues as a player. Five have done it previously, including right-handed pitcher Dusten Knight, who played for the Baltimore Orioles in 2021 and the Tampa Bay Rays in 2022, third baseman George Williams, who played for the A's from 1995-97 and the San Diego Padres in 2000, catcher Dan Firova, who played for the Milwaukee Brewers from 1981-82 and the Cleveland Guardians in 1988, infielder Wayne Tyrone, who played for the Chicago Cubs in 1978, and outfielder Jim Tyrone, who played for the Cubs in 1972, 1974 and 1975 as well as the A's in 1977.
 
An All-Region Second Team selection, Buster Posey Award semifinalist, All-SLC First Team selection, member of the SLC All-Defensive Team, and Jody Ramsey Memorial Award recipient, Lancia ranks third in the NCAA in caught stealing percentage at 44.19% (19 out of 43). He also sports a .990 fielding percentage, having helped turn three doubles plays.
 
Offensively, Lancia hit .335/.436/.506 with five home runs, 11 doubles, two triples, 45 RBI, 41 runs scored and four stolen bases in 48 games, including 46 starts at catcher.
 
Lancia left his mark on the program, as for his career, Lancia ranks third in putouts (1,157), eighth in RBI (114) and hits (190), and tied for 16^th in home runs (16).
 
UTRGV currently has eight alumni playing professional baseball, including Lancia, Cabral, Brandon Pimentel (2022-23), who is with the Wilmington Blue Rocks, the High-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, Kevin Stevens (2020-22), who is with the Somerset Patriots, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, CJ Valdez (2024), who is with the Kane County Cougars of the American Association, Colten Davis (2019-23), who is also playing with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, J.C. Ariza (2021-23), who is pitching for the Sussex County Miners of the MLB partner Pioneer League, and Roberto Gonzalez (2023), who is playing with the Mississippi Mud Monsters of the MLB partner Frontier League.

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