Sanders was born in Augsburg,Bavaria,Germany. His parents are Kevin and Lorea,his two brothers are Dallas and Hudson,and his sister is Brooklyn.[1][2] He grew up in Orlando,Florida. He attended Buchholz High School when his family moved to Gainesville,Florida in 2009. He was a member of the varsity baseball team in his final two years and won seven games with a 0.55 ERA as a senior.[3]
Sanders began his college baseball career at Daytona State College after not receiving any NCAA Division I scholarship offers out of high school.[4] As a freshman,he made 12 starts in which he was 4–6 with a 3.17 ERA.[1] He played collegiate summer baseball for the Willmar Stingers of the Northwoods League after his freshman season and had a 1–0 record over three starts with a 1.89 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 13 innings.[5] He was named to the Northwood’s League 200 Top Prospect list by College Baseball Daily.[5] As a sophomore,Sanders made 16 appearances with 14 starts and three complete games,and went 6–6 with a 2.50 ERA and 71 strikeouts.[6]
After the season,he transferred to the University of South Florida for his remaining collegiate eligibility.[3] As a junior in 2016,he was 5–5 with a 4.15 ERA and 95 strikeouts (5th in the conference) in 95.1 innings.[7] As a senior,Sanders was 6–2 with a 2.78 ERA and 109 strikeouts (2nd in the conference) in 97 innings over 16 starts,with 4.36 strikeouts per walk (2nd).[8][1] He was named 2017 All-American Athletic Conference Second Team.[1]
Sanders was assigned to the Double-AMontgomery Biscuits at the start of the 2019 season, for whom he was a Southern League Mid-Season All Star, after pitching in 37 games and posting a 3–3 record with 15 saves (2nd in the league) and a 1.81 ERA, with 57 strikeouts in 49+2⁄3 innings (10.3 strikeouts per 9 innings).[12][13] He was then promoted to the Triple-ADurham Bulls, with whom he was 1–0 with a 2.38 ERA in 11+1⁄3 innings.[12][14] Sanders was invited to Rays' spring training as a non-roster invitee in 2020 but was eventually reassigned to the minor leagues.[15] Sanders did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sanders returned to Durham for the 2021 season. He had a 5–2 record with two saves and a 3.38 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched (11.3 strikeouts per 9 innings) over 50 relief appearances (2nd in the league), 1.5 walks per 9 innings pitched (5th), an 0.906 WHIP (6th), and 7.27 strikeouts/walk (4th).[16][17]
Sanders was promoted to the Rays major league roster on April 14, 2022.[18] He made his MLB debut the same day, giving up one earned run and striking out two batters in three innings pitched in a 3–6 loss to the Oakland Athletics.[19] He was designated for assignment on August 22.[20] For the season, he was 0–0 with a 3.07 ERA in 14+2⁄3 innings.[7]
Baltimore Orioles
On August 24, 2022, Sanders was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles. On September 3, Sanders was designated for assignment and was sent outright to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides.
Sanders began the 2023 season with Triple-A Norfolk, making 9 relief appearances and registering a 2.00 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 9 innings pitched.[7] On May 19, 2023, Sanders was released by the Orioles organization.[21]
San Francisco Giants
On May 24, 2023, Sanders signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants organization.[22] In 13 games for the Triple–A Sacramento River Cats, he struggled to an 8.16 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 14+1⁄3 innings pitched. On July 14, Sanders was released by the Giants.[23]
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