Former VMI star and Oakland A's minor leaguer Sam Roberts was promoted to assistant coach/recruiting coordinator in the fall of 2020 after serving as an assistant coach for four years. During the 2018 year, Roberts served as the team's pitching coach, working with a staff that included junior Josh Winder, who was drafted in the seventh round by the Twins. Winder's selection made him the third-highest selection in program history, and only the fourth player selected in the first 10 rounds. Roberts also mentored Matt Eagle, who posted the third-most saves in a single season in VMI history and went on to sign a free agent contact with the Los Angeles Angels. In 2019, junior Zak Kent was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the ninth round after setting the program record for strikeouts in a single season and the team finished seventh in the SoCon regular season after being picked ninth in a poll of the league's coaches.
Roberts had spent the 2017 season as a volunteer assistant with the VMI program after retiring from the professional ranks following Spring Training 2016.
Roberts, VMI's all-time hits leader, ranks in the program's top-three in nine career categories, and leads in hits, walks, at-bats, runs scored and games played. He was also a regular on the mound, both in starting and relief roles.
He was a first-team All-Big South honoree at shortstop in 2011 after hitting .347 with 46 runs and 37 RBI with four saves on the hill. In his junior season, Roberts hit .336 with an on-base percentage of .448. He tied for the third-most runs scored (56) in school history and became just the second player to have at least 50 RBI and 50 runs scored in a single season. As a sophomore Roberts led VMI with a .440 on-base percentage, 53 runs and 38 walks. In his first season on Post, he was named to the All-Ping! Freshman Team after leading VMI with a .348 batting average, 14 doubles, a .431 on-base percentage and 28 walks.
Roberts was drafted by Oakland following the 2011 season and spent five seasons in the A's system, reaching high-A in the 2015 season. Following the 2013 season, Roberts transitioned full-time to the mound and spent his final two professional seasons in that role. He went 5-7 with a 3.22 ERA in 72 relief outings as a pro.
Roberts is married to the former Haley Taylor and the two welcomed a daughter, Madison, on July 5, 2019.
