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First look: Penn State baseball transfer portal additions

Penn State baseball hit the transfer portal hard under new head coach Mike Gambino. Here’s a first look at the newest Nittany Lions on the diamond.

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Penn State baseball, transfer portal
Jun 19, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons outfielder Will Ray (2) and left fielder Adam Cecere (12) cheer as center fielder Dylan Crews (3) slides in with the winning run against the LSU Tigers in the eighth inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Things will look quite different when the Penn State baseball program takes to Medlar Field this spring. With new coach Mike Gambino and a slew of new transfer portal roster additions in tow, there are plenty of new faces to get to know in Happy Valley. With the season almost a month away, here’s your first introduction to the new-look Nittany Lions who will be hitting the diamond in 2024.

First look: New Penn State baseball transfer portal roster additions

A lot has changed with Penn State baseball since we last saw the Nittany Lions in 2023. It started with the resignation of long-time head coach Rob Cooper, with the hiring of Boston College’s Mike Gambino shortly thereafter. Since taking the Penn State job in July, Gambino has gone to work rebuilding his Nittany Lions’ roster through the transfer portal.

Let’s take a look at some of the newest Penn State baseball transfer portal roster additions that you will need to know when the season kicks off on February 16.

Bryce Molinaro

A sophomore infielder, Bryce Molinaro spent his freshman season at St. John’s, where he saw no game action.  Molinaro did play in the Futures College Baseball League, where he was an All-Star and had 35 hits and 25 RBIs.

Joe Jaconski

Joe Jaconski is a junior shortstop who played two seasons at North Carolina, starting in five of the 24 games that he appeared in. Jaconski recorded four hits and two RBIs in his two-year stint in Chapel Hill.

Frankie Sanchez

RHP Frankie Sanchez traveled from his native New Jersey to play his first two seasons at Southern New Hampshire, where he went 8-1 with a 2.97 ERA.  

Matt Maloney

A catcher, Matt Maloney played his first two seasons at Dayton, making 72 starts in 91 games, carrying a .275 with 72 hits and 30 RBIs.  

Zach Mizrahi

Zach Mizrahi pitched at several small colleges in Florida, most recently Tallahassee Community College. Mizrahi has racked up 36 strikeouts in 30 innings.  

David Lee

Two-way player David Lee spent three seasons at California University of Pennsylvania, where he played in 102 games and batted .251 with 33 RBIs.

Adam Cecere

A former captain at Wake Forest, Adam Cecere highlights the transfer class under first-year head coach Mike Gambino.  In his four seasons in Winston-Salem, Cecre recorded a .282 average while gathering 133 hits, 114 runs, and 116 RBI.  He should be an early leader for the locker room, which will pay dividends for the Nittany Lions.

Chic DeGaetano

Another RHP, Chic DeGaetano tossed 99 strikeouts in 103.2 innings at Villanova.

Kevin Michaels

Like Bryce Molinaro, Kevin Michaels spent his most recent stint at St. John’s, where he batted .283 with 92 hits and 56 RBIs.

J.T. Marr

J. T Marr played most recently at the College of Charleston, where he batted .298 with 119 hits and 69 RBIs.  Marr was notably a semifinalist for the Buster Posey Award, given annually to the best catcher in college baseball.

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Currently a Penn State student majoring in Data Sciences, Surya is a passionate New York sports fan. He covers Penn State baseball, softball, and more.

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