Stanford Starting Catcher Commits to Hawaii

Mar 1, 2025; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal designated hitter Charlie Saum (21) hits a single against the Xavier Musketeers during the third inning at Sunken Diamond. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Stanford baseball has officially lost another player to the portal. A few weeks ago early into the opening of the transfer portal, starting catcher Charlie Saum was the second Cardinal to announce his intent to transfer, after Temo Bacerra.

After a few weeks, Saum has officially announced his commitment to the University of Hawaii. It will be a big jump in his career, moving an ocean away to a different place, and playing in a new conference.

Looking back on his career, Saum was a solid producer on The Farm. As an underclassman, Saum was a depth piece for a very successful Cardinal roster. He played in 29 games throughout his first two years, tallying six hits in 35 at bats. Two of his six hits were doubles too, providing some extra base help as Stanford reached Omaha in back-to-back years.

However, as an upperclassman, everything flipped. The team missed the tournament both years, but Saum broke out as a player his junior season, as he hit .283 with a .355 OBP and eight home runs in 112 at-bats. As a senior he played even more, getting 173 ABs, but he hit just .236. His on-base percentage stayed fairly consistent, however, at .345.

Saum had an impressive junior year on The Farm and was an important piece to multiple Omaha teams, and a star player even during the program's struggles. He truly represented what it means to be a Stanford Cardinal.

Saum moves to Hawaii for his graduate season, where he will be an important piece as the Rainbow Warriors compete for the Big West title. Last season, the Warriors went 35-21, including a 16-14 record in conference play.

They got a few crucial series wins too. First, they won the series against Northeastern, who became one of the top teams in the country winning 49 games. After, they took down UC Santa Barbara, who was ranked No. 15 in the country at the time.

Overall, Hawaii is a good baseball program, and will surely be competing for the Big West title next season. With the addition of Charlie Saum from Stanford, he will bring a high level experience, as well as a good bat and glove behind the plate. He'll certainly be missed on the Stanford roster and won't be easily replaced.