Elijah Sanders Opens Up on His NC State Commitment

On SI's Jordon Lawrenz had the chance to speak with NC State's newest baseball recruit, Elijah Sanders.

Jun 19, 2021; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; NC State Wolfpack left fielder Jonny Butler (14) is congratulated by head coach Elliott Avent after hitting a home run against the Stanford Cardinal at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images | Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

Elliott Avent has been around long enough to know how important recruiting is. NC State, which just defeated Wake Forest in an exhibition game, landed a recruit in their Class of 2026. Elijah Sanders, a JUCO standout, will join the team next season.

Sanders' journey has been a tough one, but the Florence Darlington Tech pitcher has done everything in his power to get to the next level. Finally, he was able to realize his dream of playing D1 baseball upon committing to the Wolfpack.

Elijah Sanders Reveals Why He Chose NC State

Committed!🐺🐺 pic.twitter.com/6ZeR3xERf7

— Elijah Sanders (@elijahsanders_3) October 23, 2025

Avent's latest recruit is a left-handed pitcher who specializes in three pitches. Reaching 94 mph on his fastball, Sanders is coming off the best year of his career.

"Coming off a good fall at my JUCO, there were a lot of schools reaching out," Sanders said. "I felt NC State was one of my better options, not just as a baseball program but also as a school."

He continued, "I felt like the coaching staff had the biggest part in my decision. I’ve heard good things about them from other coaches and the way I was treated throughout the recruiting process. Having a trusted staff made it an easy decision."

Sanders' Journey to An ACC Program

Elijah Sanders
6’ 219 SO LHP
90-93 T94
SL
CH pic.twitter.com/6TWPGtABY6

— Flo-Dar Tech Stingers Baseball (@FDTCbaseball) September 29, 2025

"Coming out of high school I wasn’t highly recruited and Florence Darlington Tech was one of my only and best options to continue playing baseball," Sanders said. From the fall to spring of his freshman season, he acknolwedged his important his jump in velocity was.

Currently, Sanders throws a fastball, changeup, and slider. While not every player takes the Juco route, it was a decision that helped get Sanders to where he is today, "Playing at the junior college level not only helped me learn the game more but also got me more high level experience that prepared me."

Sanders added, "Committing to an ACC program is something I would’ve never thought of a year ago but to put in the work and get to where I am now, I’m excited and can’t wait to get on campus and compete."

Meet NC State's Newest Pitcher

SO LHP
Fb 90-93 T94
Sl 81-83
Ch 80-82@FDTCbaseball pic.twitter.com/NkNog1F0zW

— Elijah Sanders (@elijahsanders_3) October 9, 2025

The Wolfpack's Class of 2026 got much stronger with the addition of Sanders. NC State's newest lefty pitcher has a work ethic like no other and welcomes the competition, "The desire to compete when I’m on the mound and attacking hitters but being humble while doing it has helped me and continues to," Sanders said.

Sanders gave a shoutout to his mom for her continued support, his coaches at Flor-Dar for helping him become a better person and baseball player, and his pitching coach, Ryan Morris, for helping him take his pitching career to the next level.

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