‘Anyone can do it from this town.’ State College’s Mason Mellott & Kevin Karstetter relishing their time as Spikes
Spikes infielder Kevin Karstetter looked on as teammate Mason Mellott took the mound last week against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
It wasn’t the first time that he watched Mellott play in the same uniform as him, having played together locally with the Little Lions in high school. It was like deja vu, watching him put up zeroes in the eighth inning, en route to a 1-0 victory.
This was the moment that they’ve dreamed of as teenagers.
“I’m having a lot of fun with (the Spikes),” Karstetter said. “We’re with a world-class organization with great coaches, we’re learning a lot and for Mason and I, coming through State High and coming through here, I think is just a testament to our hard work and where we’ve gotten and we’ve got a good goal. Anyone can do it from this town. You’ve just got to work hard and do the right thing. That’s really what it’s all about.”
Both Mellott and Karstetter are at uncertain points in their baseball careers, with Mellott having graduated this spring after playing his final season with Penn State, and Karstetter just wrapping up his first season with State College of Florida. The pair are playing with the Spikes in the new MLB Draft League this summer to test the waters to see what their potential is for playing at the next level.
But despite the revolving door of teammates on the Spikes roster and questions about their futures, both players take comfort in the familiarity of their current situations — having each other as teammates, seeing their families cheer them on from the stands, and even in Medlar Field itself.
“It’s cool to have friends and family come to the game and see you play,” Mellott said. “Then, as you go up the different levels, the talent levels are better. So, it’s cool to grow as a player while staying close to home, being around your family and them getting the opportunity to see you become a better player and person as you grow older.”
Karstetter was a freshman at State High when Mellott was a senior. The younger former State College standout played third base, while the latter was the starting pitcher. Karstetter and Mellott were part of a team that made it to the PIAA semifinal in 2017, coming up just short of playing in the state title game. Coincidentally, the game took place at Medlar Field, home of the Spikes.
The journey to the Spikes wasn’t symmetrical for the two former State High players, with Mellott graduating in 2017 and Karstetter transferring from State College to IMG Academy in Florida prior to his senior season in 2020. Karstetter played his first college season this year with State College of Florida, batting .296/.386/.394 in 203 at-bats with three home runs, 47 runs batted in, 42 runs and six stolen bases.
Suiting up as Penn State’s closer, Mellott went on to finish his Nittany Lions career this season with 13 total saves. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic cutting his junior season short, Mellott was still able to finish No. 4 on Penn State’s all-time career saves leaderboard. He ended his career with a 3.10 earned-run average over the course of 136 ⅓ innings with 119 strikeouts and a 10-7 record.
Mellott became the first Penn State player since Gary Amato in 2008 to play for the Spikes and just the second State College native, after Karstetter suited up first.
One of the biggest benefits of being in State College for Mellott is his family. Mellott watched as his parents regularlycame to his high school games, Penn State games and now Spikes games. The familiarity doesn’t just end with the town that he has played in, but extends to the field, as well. Mellott played at Medlar Field throughout his college career. The feel for the higher mound of a professional baseball field has given Mellott a comfortable presence while pitching. It’s something that he continues to relish in.
“Obviously, Medlar is a great facility and a great field — it’s probably the best field that I’ve ever played at, in my opinion,” Mellott said. “It’s cool to be able to play on it every day pretty much throughout my whole college career and now. It’s definitely a great opportunity and everyone does a great job here. We talk about the mound and the mound is a little taller and longer than a lot of college mounds. It’s set up a little differently, but they (Spikes pitchers) love it a lot. The background and atmosphere is great.”
An important part of Mellott’s story is his father, Bob Mellott, attending his games and watching him grow throughout his career. The father and son went to a litany of Spikes matchups throughout the years, watching the team participate in the New York-Penn League while they were with the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
The MLB Draft League is a revolving door of talent. Players come and go throughout the season. It’s more of a long-season showcase event to display the talent of players. Some athletes will return to college with others going to play in a number of professional leagues — whether it’s minor league or independent ball.
Supportive of his son and having a keen eye for the game himself, Bob Mellott’s been able to note the differences in play between the new MLB Draft League and Penn State and how Mason approaches it.
“The thing about Penn State is that you had a number of kids competing together as a team,” Bob Mellott said. “It’s not necessarily fighting for each other’s positions as much. They were fairly well-established. Mason was pretty much at the back end of the bullpen from his freshman year on and never really challenged for that.
“Here, these kids are competing against each other for that draft pick. So, there’s a lot more competition here among teammates than there ever was there. There was more competition to there to build a team together to try to win ballgames. Whereas here, you’ve got so many kids competing (against) each other to be drafted. It’s made a totally different atmosphere. Competition is always a good thing.”
Colorado Rockies first baseman Matt Adams, a 2006 Philipsburg-Osceola grad, is the only player from Centre County currently on a Major League Baseball roster. Bellefonte grad Eric Milton retired from the MLB in 2009, after pitching for the Twins, Phillies, Reds and Dodgers.
Mellott and Karstetter both hope to change that fate.
“My main goal is to put Central Pa. on the map,” Karstetter said. “You can be from State College, Bellefonte or whatever it is. You’ve just got to do the right thing and have the right opportunities. When you get them, you’ve got to have a chip on your shoulder. Because of the weather, we’re kind of behind the eight ball. That’s a huge thing.
“We’ve got some great talent around here and we’ve got a lot of guys coming from State High who go to professional baseball and I think that everyone is waiting for that one guy to make it to the big leagues. Matt Adams is a guy from Philipsburg that we look up to, but we kind of need a new face. That’s what Mason and I want to do.”
