Four State College Spikes players look to make their mark in 2022 season
The State College Spikes’ second season in the MLB Draft League is now underway.
There are a number of players who are returning to Medlar Field to participate in their second year with the team. State College has also made a number of changes to its roster with a litany of players from different backgrounds — including two players from Puerto Rico and one player from the Dominican Republic.
Each of the players is looking forward to boosting his stock in the 2022 MLB First-Year Draft. Here’s a look at four Spikes players who look to make their mark this season:
Ty Hill joins list of HBCU players to join Spikes
Pitcher Jason Alvarez (Grambling) and catcher Michael Dorcean (Coppin State) played for the Spikes last season. Both were products of baseball programs at historically Black colleges and universities and were excited to bring diversity to baseball.
Enter Ty Hill.
The Jackson State star was named to the Black College Nines Elite Team, batting .388 with three home runs, 31 walks, 80 hits, 20 doubles, four triples and 41 runs batted in. Hill was also a second-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference selection this season. He’s looking to continue building the sport for other Black players who are beginning their baseball journeys.
“I would tell them (the next generation of players) that hard work pays off and no matter where you play, you can always compete with anybody,” Hill said. “Everywhere I’ve played, it’s all the same to me. You’ve just got to relax and do what you do. Playing at Jackson State — we definitely play faster and here, you play slower and take your time.”
Kevin Karstetter is returning home for the second time
Karstetter is a State College native. He’s now in his second season with his hometown team and has gotten stronger, following a number of injuries during the 2021 MLB Draft League season. The utility man went 6-for-37 from the plate in 2021 with State College, owned a .162/.225/.243 slash line, hit a home run and drove in four runs.
With the State College of Florida (junior college), Karstetter slashed .323/.410/.468 with eight home runs in 412 at-bats over the course of 107 games. Before heading to Houston next season, the former State College Little Lions infielder looks to continue to improve on his craft.
“It feels great. The whole reason why I went through the junior college ranks is because I needed to develop and improve my game,” Karstetter said. “I didn’t think I was quite ready for that level (Division I baseball). So, I challenged myself and kind of bet on myself. It’s paid off and I hope it continues to. I’m happy with it and I’m very lucky.”
Trae Robertson makes his way back to the Spikes
Standing in at 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, the left-handed relief pitcher from Missouri is looking to pick up where he left off with the Spikes. Robertson went 3-0 last season with State College, pitching to a 5.19 earned-run average in 17.1 innings and striking out 9.3 batters per nine innings.
The Tigers pitcher made 10 appearances in 2022 with his college team, with a 5.11 ERA in 12.1 innings and struck out 8.8 batters per nine innings. His hope is to improve on his numbers and make a strong impression on Major League organizations that like his strikeout rate out of the bullpen.
“(The technology) gives us all of our numbers and everything,” Robertson said. “We even have it in the bullpen for every pitch if we want it. But that stuff is really cool because you can see every detail. So, if something’s off, you can go check the numbers, see what they’re looking like — whether they’re the same or different and kind of go from there on fixing things. So, it’s really nice to have that and it’s just another tool that you can specify and break things down.”
Chris Wall also returns to the Spikes
Wall is the other tall, left-handed pitcher from Missouri. He pitched in 11 games with the Spikes last season, making two starts, tossing 20 innings and allowed a 4.50 ERA. Wall owns a 15.8 strikeouts per nine innings stat, which allowed him to slot into the closer’s role early on in the season with the Tigers.
The 24-year old lefty made 17 appearances with Missouri in the spring with a 4.78 ERA over the course of 26.1 innings pitched. He struck out 11.3 batters per nine innings. One way that Wall is finding his place in the game is by entering the game in high-leverage situations. In Wednesday’s game against Mahoning Valley, Wall pitched 1.1 innings and struck out three batters. With his time as a closer, he expects to thrive in those types of situations.
“The experience kicks in and the big thing for me is to go out there and compete,” Wall said. “(I have to) stay in the zone and work all of my pitches for strikes. When you can do that, guys may get on-base, guys may get hits, but if I bounce back and stay locked in and get the next hitter and get out of it, I can make that inning clean.”
