HARTFORD, Conn. – Former Trinity College Baseball star Matt Koperniak has found himself on the doorstep of the Major Leagues after the St. Louis Cardinals selected Koperniak's contract from the Triple-A Memphis Redbird, making him a member of the Cardinals 40-man roster prior to Tuesday's Rule 5 Draft.
 
Koperniak made waves during the 2024 season, delivering a .309/.370/.512/.882 slash line with 20 home runs, 28 doubles and 73 runs batted in in 122 games with the Redbirds. Currently, Koperniak is playing for Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Winter League, who is managed by future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols.
 
Koperniak was a two-time All-NESCAC honoree who led the Bantams to a 30-9 overall record and the NCAA Division III Regional Finals in 2019.  Koperniak paced the Bantams with a .394 batting average (3rd in NESCAC), along with a NESCAC-best 63 hits, 13 doubles, three triples, six home runs, and 31 RBIs in his junior season. Koperniak added 22 stolen bases, third-most in a season in program history. His 63-hit season was the fifth-most hits in a season in program history. He finished his Trinity career with a .373 batting average, 152 hits, 13 homers, 30 doubles, and 75 RBIs, and has also been a D3Baseball.com All-New England selection.
 
Koperniak signed a free agent contract with the Cardinals following the 2020 season, becoming the first Bantam to sign a MLB contract since James Wood was drafted in the 47th round of the 2010 MLB Draft and signed with the Seattle Mariners.