The State College Spikes’ inaugural MLB Draft League season starts Monday. Here’s what to know
The State College Spikes are set to begin their season Monday after a year’s hiatus, but with a twist.
No longer are they part of Minor League Baseball’s New York-Penn League. They are now part of the MLB Draft League. So, what does it all mean for fans, players, coaches and those who surround the league?
Here’s the Centre Daily Times’ guide to the newest iteration of the Spikes:
What is the MLB Draft League?
Created by Major League Baseball and Prep Baseball Report last year, the MLB Draft League is the first league in the country that caters to top draft-eligible prospects. Draft-eligible players will now have a chance to display their talent and boost their stock with the MLB Draft being pushed back to July to coincide with the All-Star Break.
Players in the MLB Draft League might come from NCAA, NAIA or junior college teams, or be graduating high school seniors.
Kerrick Jackson, former Southern Jaguars head coach and Missouri Tigers assistant, is the new league’s president. Jackson spoke with local media in November when the Spikes were announced as part of the league.
“At the end of the day, we want to make sure that we’re providing the best experience for you all as fans, for you all as communities and giving your communities and your fans an opportunity to have that enjoyment and to continue to thrive,” Jackson said. “I assure you that the future is bright. Not only is there a bright future, but the possibilities are endless for where this league can go and what that would mean for each of these communities.”
Who is the manager?
Delwyn Young was named the Spikes’ manager on April 12. Young played five seasons in the MLB — three with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2006-08) and two with the Pittsburgh Pirates (2009-10). Over the course of his five seasons, Young had a slash line .258/.286/.414 with 17 career home runs.
Young’s father, Delwyn Young Sr., played Minor League Baseball from 1981-94 and his grandfather, Fate Young, was a Major League scout for more than four decades.
“Coming from a huge baseball family and all the years spent in a uniform or around a baseball diamond, I had never heard of an opportunity such as the MLB Draft League,” Young said in a press release. “I believe an opportunity of this magnitude will change the landscape of baseball for generations to come.”
Prior to joining the Spikes, Young held coaching positions with the Kingsport Mets in 2018 and the Brookyln Cyclones the following year. Young said his biggest motivation to returning to the diamond as a coach was to “pay it forward to younger generations.”
“We are very much looking forward to giving Delwyn a big Happy Valley welcome,” Spikes General Manager Scott Walker said via press release. “Delwyn’s MLB experience will be a tremendous asset to our players as they take their first step toward the big leagues, and we are excited to have him join our Spikes family.”
When do they play?
The Spikes are set to embark on a 68-game regular season schedule (34 home and 34 away games). Opponents will include Maryland’s Frederick Keys, New Jersey’s Trenton Thunder, Ohio’s Mahoning Valley Scrappers, Pennsylvania’s Williamsport Crosscutters and the West Virginia Black Bears.
State College begins its season at 6:35 p.m. Monday at home against the Crosscutters and will conclude the league’s inaugural season on Aug. 13, once again facing Williamsport at home. The league’s championship game is scheduled for Aug. 15.
The standard start time for Monday-Friday games is moving up to 6:35 p.m. from previous seasons, and Sunday games will move up to 4:50 p.m.
What can fans expect at the ballpark?
With the Spikes back in action, fans can look forward to the return of some of the ballpark’s most popular promotions, including fireworks shows, $2 Tuesdays, Thirsty Thursdays and Bark in the Park nights.
The first 250 fans on Opening Night will receive a Spikes face mask. New Penn State men’s basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry is set to toss the first pitch, and there will be fireworks and an opportunity for kids to circle the bases after the game.
The first Bark in the Park Night is set for May 28 to kick off a five-game homestand, starting with the Trenton Thunder, which will include a birthday celebration for Walker on May 30.
The Spikes plan to increase capacity at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park to 100% for the Memorial Day Summer Kickoff event against the Frederick Keys on May 31.
More promotions for the summer are expected to be released later.
How do you buy tickets?
Single-game tickets, group tickets and season tickets can be purchased online on the Spikes’ Ticket Return site, by calling the Spikes box office at 814-272-1711 or visiting it in person outside the stadium.
