STATE COLLEGE/CENTRE COUNTY, Pa — The State College Spikes may no longer be affiliated with a Major League franchise but the success of the team is clear as day. During the MLB Draft earlier this week, 4 players on the Spikes were selected and will be heading to big-league organizations.
The MLB Draft League may be new, but after a whopping 39 players from across the league were selected in the draft, it can no longer be deemed unproven.
The Spikes will be saying goodbye to their catcher, third baseman and two pitchers, who were drafted to the pros.
After the Spikes lost their minor-league affiliation in a nationwide realignment by Major League Baseball, they joined the MLB Draft League as a founding member prior to this inaugural season.
The league consists largely of college players seeking to catch the eyes of MLB scouts, and the Spikes’ Director of Communications, Joe Putnam, says it’s awesome to see that goal achieved.
“We’ve got players from across the country who came here to kickstart their big-league dreams and we were fortunate to see 4 of them get drafted into the major leagues yesterday inKenny Piper, Damiano Palmegiani, Andrew Moore and Chase Watkins, who was drafted on, on Monday. So, to see themmake their big-league dreams come true here in Happy Valley, that’s been the exciting part and that’s exactly what this league set out to do.”
Spikes General Manager Scott Walker says the change in affiliation has not lowered expectations of talent, and may have even brightened the future.
“Baseball in Happy Valley is still strong, and you know, year 1 of the Major League Baseball Draft League will not be like year 2 or year 3. This league was formed 6 months before the first game, so there was a lot of cards already played and a lot of things already in place,” he said. “So, I think what you’re going to see is a tremendous amount of growth in the talent pool still yet to come beyond year 1.”
Putnam says the Spikes are thrilled to continue seeing the success of the new league on a daily basis.
“To be part of this innovative conceptwas really something we’re very proud of and to see it play out on the field and leading into the draft, that’s beenvery exciting.”
Walker feels the sky is the limit now more than ever before.
“We were thrilled to be with the Cardinals and with the Pirates over the years but I, I love the concept of this league, and I think the future is bright,” he exclaimed.
The Spikes will return from the draft break on Thursday.
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