Editor’s Note: Click play at the end of this story to listen Cade Povich’s March 1 appearance on Catholic Review Radio.
Cade Povich describes his baseball journey as a dream come true. He has pitched two seasons in the major leagues for the Baltimore Orioles and is preparing to earn a spot on the team in 2026.
He is grateful for his athletic accomplishments, but on his way to the big leagues Povich felt that something significant was lacking in his life.
“I was trying to figure out what I want there to be in my life outside of just baseball,” he said. “I didn’t want to be consumed by baseball being everything.”
Povich found fulfillment in pursuit of a deeper Christian faith, a years-long quest that led to a milestone during the Orioles 2025 season. While with the team in Minneapolis to play the Minnesota Twins, Povich and his wife, Sophia, drove 30 miles to St. Patrick Church in Hudson, Wis.
There, Povich was received May 5, 2025, into the Catholic Church with the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. He posted photographs and video of the celebration on social media with a caption that read, “Today I was welcomed home.”
Reflecting on his baptism, in which Povich chose to be fully immersed in the baptismal waters, he described the experience as one of profound spiritual freedom.
“It’s the overall joy and holiness and almost freedom that I felt,” he said, adding, “it’s definitely been a long journey, but, you know, I’m here now, and I’m very thankful and blessed for it.”
The 25-year-old southpaw’s paths to the Catholic Church and pro baseball began in Omaha, Neb., where he grew up. Baseball was always part of his youth, but religion was not. Povich said he believed in God, but that was the extent of his faith until his teenage years. The first high school he attended was Scutt Catholic High School in Omaha, where he took a theology class that piqued his interest in Christianity. His faith interest grew as his baseball talents developed.
After high school, Povich was awarded a scholarship to pitch for the University of Nebraska, a huge honor for a kid from Omaha. A college standout, he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 2021 and began his development as a professional in the minor leagues before he was traded to the Orioles.
Povich remembered that while faith wasn’t his highest priority while in college and the minor leagues, he remained intrigued. He noticed that some of his minor league teammates went to church and Povich, ever curious, read Bible verses on days that he pitched.
A significant boost to Povich’s faith journey came from his girlfriend, now wife, Sophia. She was raised Catholic and the two of them attended Mass together. Sophia was baptized as a child but had not received the sacrament of confirmation. The couple consulted with Father Dan Tracy, associate pastor at St. Patrick, to discuss receiving the sacraments. Sophia was confirmed in April 2024 and the couple married in a Catholic liturgy that December.
Father Tracy then guided Cade through the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA). They met in person in the offseason, but when Cade had to leave for Orioles spring training in Florida, the OCIA process shifted to video meetings. Father Tracy noted that Povich was a committed student.
“Cade was really good,” Father Tracy said. “He had his copy of the Catechism. He took notes. He was invested and prepared.”
The day following Povich’s baptism and confirmation, he was the Orioles starting pitcher against the Minnesota Twins. Father Tracy, Sophia and supporters from St. Patrick were there to cheer for him.
Povich said his Catholic faith blends well with his Orioles teammates who are outspoken Christians, a group that includes All-Stars Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and Jordan Westburg.
“It connects us all and brings everybody into discussion about God, about Jesus, about the Bible,” Povich says. “It’s a cool brotherhood. And even outside of our team, having Mass at every stadium is really cool, too – to meet other guys and kind of broaden that range, in order to have even more discussions throughout the league with other guys.”
Povich believes he has been called to use his role as a Major League Baseball player to publicly proclaim and share his Catholic faith.
“I just try to spread it the best I can,” Povich said, “to see if maybe someone who is on the border of trying to figure out their faith can see the path I took and see that (just) because you didn’t grow up Catholic, that doesn’t mean you can’t ever become Catholic. I did my baptism all the way through confirmation when I was 25. So I hope sharing it helps show younger and older people that it’s never too late.”
Listen to an interview with Povich by clicking play below:
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