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Even great MLB pitchers rarely make it past 15 seasons, especially in the modern era. CC Sabathia, however, slung it for 19 electric seasons, becoming one of the most dominant and durable lefties of his generation. But even Sabathia couldn’t outrun Father Time forever, and in 2019, it was time to hang up his cleats.
Now, as they celebrate the Yankees retiring CC’s iconic No. 52, Sabathia and his wife, Amber, are reflecting on life after MLB and how they’re giving back to their community through the PitCCh In Foundation.
The Sabathias started PitCCh In in 2008, during a major period of transition for the family. CC was in the middle of a major free agency decision and didn’t know which city he would call home next. What he did know was that he wanted to start giving back.
“CC had already donated monetarily to our hometown of Vallejo, but we wanted to make sure the money we were donating was going to the right places and making true change,” Amber Sabathia tells Entrepreneur. “Starting the foundation seemed the only way to do that.”
Having grown up in a Boys & Girls Club, CC has always had a special place in his heart for organizations that help kids through sports and education. That experience helped shape PitCCh In’s mission: enriching the lives of youth through educational and athletic activities.
Despite the demands of his playing career, CC says he was always heavily involved with PitCCh In, even jokingly referring to the foundation as his “fifth child.”
“It’s always just kind of been a part of our family,” the Hall of Famer says to Entrepreneur. “So it was easy to kind of just integrate that part of our lives, have more time, you know, in retirement.”
For Amber, the foundation was never a side project or a sudden idea. Giving back had been part of their conversations for years, with a focus on making a tangible impact rather than simply writing checks.
“This was not a sudden idea,” Amber says. “Giving back was something we had talked about for years. The conversations were about what kind of impact we wanted to have: not just writing checks, but really showing up for kids and their communities.”
From pitching for the Yankees to swinging for charity
Today, PitCCh In has three signature programs designed to equip young people with the tools they need to succeed both in school and on the field: the All-Star Baseball Clinic, Youth Backpack Program and Field Renovations. The foundation also hosts charitable events, including the Sabathia Shootout, which recently celebrated its sixth anniversary.
The Golf Classic has become one of PitCCh In’s signature fundraisers, bringing together many of the relationships CC has built throughout his career across sports and entertainment. This year’s participants included Michael Strahan, Angie Martinez, J.R. Smith, Gary Sheffield, Ja Rule, Matt Barnes, Dellin Betances and more. According to CC, Matt Barnes put together a strong showing on the course.
But while the celebrity golf event helps raise money and brings together some of CC’s famous friends, he’s most proud of the relationships he’s built with the kids and communities PitCCh In serves.
“The time that we’re able to spend with the kids, seeing the kids every single year from different Boys & Girls Clubs, from our Christmas caravans to our field renovations,” CC says. “We have a lot of different volunteers with the Bronx Knights and different things, and just seeing the kids grow over the years has been the coolest thing.”
Turning experience into expertise
While CC may no longer be on the mound, Amber has kept the family close to the game. In 2021, two years after CC’s retirement, she became a baseball agent with CAA Sports, bringing a unique perspective to the business.
“Living through CC’s career taught me the human side of the business: what a trade feels like for a family, what free agency does to a household, how much trust matters between a player and the people advising him,” Amber explains. “I lived every high and low alongside him, so I understand what players and their families are going through in a way you cannot learn from a book.”
That experience gave her a head start, but it didn’t mean she could simply step into the role. Amber still had to learn the technical side of the business, from contract structures and the CBA to the mechanics of negotiation. More importantly, she quickly learned that being an agent requires just as much listening as negotiating.
“As a player’s wife, I thought I understood the job, but being the advisor is different,” Amber shares. “You’re helping someone make decisions that affect their family, their future, and their legacy. The trust players place in you is humbling, and I don’t take it lightly.”
For Amber, that trust goes both ways. Loyalty has become a major part of how she approaches her relationships with clients.
“My clients are loyal to me, and for that respect, I go hard for them each day,” she says. “I’m excited for the future of my clients and the careers they have ahead. Being a part of that is an honor.”
The next chapter
With Sabathia’s jersey retirement by the Yankees on September 26, PitCCh In is likely to get an added dose of attention. But even with the spotlight on CC, he’s quick to put the foundation’s mission ahead of his own accomplishments.
“We don’t plan stuff around, you know, getting accolades,” CC says. “It’s just whatever’s best for the kids, whatever can work for their schedule and our schedule, and whatever works best for PitCCh In. A lot of stuff that’s been coinciding, which has been great. But it’s not anything we consciously do.”
Sabathia may have had a legendary playing career, but he’s clearly comfortable with whatever comes next.
“All of this stuff has just kind of been coming, you know. It kind of is what it is,” he says. “It’s a blessing to have this stuff come. In retirement, you play a long time, and you would hope people will recognize your career. So it’s been a lot of fun to have this stuff. I know my kids are tired of celebrations, but it’s been a lot of fun.”
Even great MLB pitchers rarely make it past 15 seasons, especially in the modern era. CC Sabathia, however, slung it for 19 electric seasons, becoming one of the most dominant and durable lefties of his generation. But even Sabathia couldn’t outrun Father Time forever, and in 2019, it was time to hang up his cleats.
Now, as they celebrate the Yankees retiring CC’s iconic No. 52, Sabathia and his wife, Amber, are reflecting on life after MLB and how they’re giving back to their community through the PitCCh In Foundation.
The Sabathias started PitCCh In in 2008, during a major period of transition for the family. CC was in the middle of a major free agency decision and didn’t know which city he would call home next. What he did know was that he wanted to start giving back.