Two players already drafted by MLB teams on initial player list for Draft League season

(STATE COLLEGE, Pa.) – The State College Spikes have unveiled their preliminary roster for the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft League season. Two prior MLB Draft selections will be headed to Happy Valley this summer, along with nine members of the 2021 edition of the Spikes who are slated to return.

Leading off the pair of 2022 Spikes who have already heard their names called in the MLB Draft is Troy Taylor, a UC-Irvine product who pitched in the MLB Draft League for the Williamsport Crosscutters last season. Taylor was a 20^th-round pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2021 but elected to return to Irvine.

In addition, outfielder Lyndon Weaver of NCAA Division II Shorter (Ga.) University, who was selected out of by the Oakland Athletics in the 40^th round of the 2018 Draft, is on the Spikes’ initial player list.

Four of last year’s Spikes coming back to the MLB Draft League are in the midst of their collegiate seasons at the University of Missouri. Right-handed pitchers Austin Cheeley and Drew Garrett will join left-handed pitchers Trae Robertson and Christian Wall on a Tigers team that looks to improve in the SEC.

In addition, State College native Kevin Karstetter will be returning to the MLB Draft League. The infielder, who is finishing his time at the State College of Florida, has committed to the University of Houston to continue his college baseball career in the future.

Hurlers coming back to the Spikes include right-handed relief pitcher Kiernan Higgins, who is now at Virginia Tech after posting a league-best 0.36 earned run average for the Spikes in 2021, and right-hander Griffin Miller, who is now at the University of Oklahoma after tying for the Spikes' team lead with nine starts last summer.

Infielder/right-handed pitcher Lukas Cook is poised to make a return to Happy Valley before resuming his time in the MLB Draft League. Cook is currently at Dyersburg State (Tenn.) Community College and is committed to the University of Purdue for future collegiate play.

Luke Seidel, a utility player from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, rounds out the ledger of 2021 Spikes planning to come back to the MLB Draft League. Seidel recently completed a three-game series with Milwaukee against Penn State at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, the home of the Spikes.

Other pitchers on the Spikes’ initial roster include left-hander Mason Olson (College of Southern Idaho) and right-handers Will Carsten (McClennan (Tx.) Community College, committed to Oklahoma), Jackson Cothren (Calhoun (Ala.) Community College), Brendan Knoll (Minnesota State), Josh Mollerus (San Francisco), Gunner Morris (Grayson (Tx.) College), Andrew Petrowski (San Jacinto College North (Tx.) and Devon Schewe (St. Thomas (Minn.)).

Two catchers – Owen Ayers from the State College of Florida and Ben Columbus from Wharton County College (Tx.) – are also on the Spikes’ preliminary roster.

The preliminary list also includes infielders Chenar Brown (Jackson State), Keyshawn Ogans (California), Alex Pendergast (Kirkwood (Iowa), committed to Dallas Baptist) and Thomas Schroeder (Morton (Ill.) College), as well as two-way pitcher/infielders Dawson Pomeroy (Pittsburg State (Kan.)), and Livan Reinoso (Tennessee Wesleyan).

Rosters are set by the league and Prep Baseball Report. More players headed to Happy Valley will be announced as the season approaches.

The Spikes’ second MLB Draft League season will feature an expanded 80-game slate that includes 40 home games, the most for a regular season in franchise history, starting on Friday, June 3 and running through Sunday, September 4. The 2022 season will be split into two halves, with the first half set to begin on Thursday, June 2, and concluding on Saturday, July 16. The first half will feature amateur, draft-eligible prospects from around the nation and will follow a similar format to the 2021 season.

Following a midseason break to coincide with the MLB All-Star Break, the second half will run from Friday, July 22, and conclude on Tuesday, September 6, with the MLB Draft League’s first Championship Game. The second half will feature professional players who have exhausted their amateur eligibility or otherwise wish to begin their professional careers.

More information on the 2022 MLB Draft League season can be found at MLBDraftLeague.com.

Fans can enjoy every moment of the Spikes’ biggest regular season ever, featuring 40 home games on the 2022 MLB Draft League schedule, with Spikes Season Ticket Memberships and Flex Books. Season Ticket Members get the same great seats for every Spikes home game, plus enjoy special amenities like access to exclusive Extra Innings Club events at the ballpark. Spikes Flex Books feature 12 undated ticket vouchers for the price of 10 to allow for maximum flexibility to fit any fan’s needs.

To purchase a Season Ticket Membership or a Flex Book, call a Spikes ticket representative at (814) 272-1711 or log on to StateCollegeSpikes.com. More information on the MLB Draft League is available at MLBDraftLeague.com. The Spikes’ 2022 schedule PDF is available for download at this link, and more team and ticket information is available at StateCollegeSpikes.com.