BREWSTER, Mass. — Before his first Cape Cod Baseball League appearance, Carsten Sabathia said he hoped to give his father, CC, a nice Father’s Day gift by doing something cool during the game. The Brewster Whitecaps 6-foot-4 first baseman got that chance in the bottom of the second inning.

When Carsten stepped into the batter’s box Sunday evening, CC was in uncharted waters. Instead of standing 60 feet and six inches away from home plate on the pitcher’s mound like he had 561 times throughout his 19-year Major League career, he was stationed in the bleachers.

Throughout his oldest son’s first Cape League at bat, CC remained emotionless as the count evened at 2-2. But when Carsten ripped a line drive single into left field on the fifth pitch, CC couldn’t help but applaud his son as he rounded first base.

“That’s the best Father’s Day, having a chance to be able to come up (to the Cape) and watch your son play,” CC said.

For the first 16 years of Carsten’s life, he often followed CC around Yankee Stadium’s confines to spend as much time with his father as possible. Simultaneously, he created his own baseball career, becoming the No. 3 first base recruit in the Class of 2022 by Perfect Game and committing to Georgia Tech. After getting derailed by injuries and playing sparingly with the Yellow Jackets over the last two years, Carsten entered his name into the transfer portal and is looking to establish himself in the Cape League.

While Carsten grew up in the Yankees’ clubhouse around former captain Derek Jeter and later around future captain — and former Brewster Whitecap — Aaron Judge, he independently developed his love for baseball. Despite CC wanting to guide his son along the way, his demanding schedule didn’t allow it.

“I feel like I missed so much of his life,” CC said. “... Carsten really learned on his own, we did whatever we can do in the offseason, but what you see from him is him. That's all his hard work, dedication, his desire to want to be a big league player.”

Though Carsten developed his on-field skills, growing up in a Major League environment helped hone key intangibles. Carsten said his first memory at Yankee Stadium was as a five-year-old sitting among a sold-out crowd of more than 40,000 fans. From that point, Carsten experienced numerous high-magnitude playoff games, which he says helped him create a composure where nothing startles or gets to him.

“All I wanted to do is play ball and I think it only expands that dream even more seeing that (environment) and being able to experience that from a young age,” Carsten said. “So I'm always super grateful and always feel super blessed that I was able to experience that.”

As Carsten developed through his teen years and CC retired from MLB after the 2019 season, the Sabathia family — especially CC — shifted their focus from CC to Carsten. With the demands of a 162-game season no longer in his way, CC finally had the time to be around his son.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, all Carsten and CC would do was hit, lift and sleep. As Carsten was still growing into his body and learning about himself, CC helped develop his strength during a key recruiting year — his sophomore year of high school — which was stripped from Carsten.

Carsten’s newfound strength helped him thrive when baseball tournaments and showcases returned. Playing with his father watching him extensively for the first time, CC said that Carsten passed every test.

“Every time he’s had a chance to impress me, he’s done it,” CC said.

The moment CC knew Carsten had what it takes to play at the next level was at a Wilson Premiere Event late in the summer of 2020. Despite playing alongside teammates like Termarr Johnson (No. 4 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft) and Druw Jones (No. 2 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft), Carsten’s team was getting blown out by The Canes — a premiere high school level organization.

Late in the game, Carsten faced a left-handed pitcher who CC said was throwing harder than any pitcher his son had ever faced. Still, he barreled a ball into the left-center field gap for a double.

“Him being able to physically be here these last couple of years and see me grow and see me develop throughout this whole process has been really cool,” Carsten said.

While Carsten ascended through high school baseball, he struggled to stay on the field and get on the field for the first time while at Georgia Tech. Through the adversity, he says it helped him learn a lot about himself and it will only make him stronger going forward.

When Carsten leaned on his father for advice throughout the difficult period, CC taught him a valuable lesson: baseball is a marathon, not a sprint.

“Whether it's a year from now, two years from now, five years from now, 10 years from now, at one point (my talent is) gonna shine through,” Carsten said.

By watching Carsten over the last couple of years, CC knows that Carsten just needs an opportunity. Playing for Brewster in the Cape League presents that.

“He’s a big physical presence who I feel like when this summer is all said and done, he could be one of those guys that emerges as a really good player and nobody saw him throughout college baseball,” Whitecaps manager Jamie Shevchik said of Carsten.

While CC awaits his final potential baseball stop at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, he has finally been able to become a full-time father. Throughout CC’s dominant pitching career, Carsten was a little kid running through the clubhouse.

Now, he’s a physically gifted and talented first baseman trying to follow in his father’s footsteps to become a Major Leaguer. The best part for Carsten is that CC can be beside him every step of the way.

“Just having him here is the best thing because every kid wants their dad to be in the stands watching them ball out a little bit,” Carsten said.

(Photographs by Aidan Conrad)