Sept. 13, 2017
DURHAM, N.C. - Former Penn State pitcher Sal Biasi was named to Baseball America's 2017 Rookie-Level Classification All-Star Team following his first pro season, the magazine announced Tuesday.
Biasi was one of just five starting pitchers to earn the honor. After signing with the Kansas City Royals in June, Biasi made his professional debut with the team's Arizona League affiliate and made four appearances before returning to the east coast and spending the remainder of the season with the rookie-level Burlington (N.C.) Royals of the Appalachian League.
Biasi posted a 2.41 ERA and 4-2 record in 56.0 innings pitched for the year, starting eight of 13 appearances and striking out 54. He held opposing batters to a .190 average and 1.09 WHIP.
Biasi concluded his Nittany Lion career in May after three seasons. He was named All-Big Ten following the 2017 season and posted a 3.41 ERA and 10-13 record over 174.0 innings for Penn State, also tallying three saves and 185 strikeouts. He became the highest Penn State draft pick since 2012 when the Royals called his name in the 11th round with the 330th overall pick of the 2017 MLB first-Year Player Draft.
Biasi was not the only former Nittany Lion to see success in the pros. Jack Anderson and Jim Haley, both 2016 draft picks out of Penn State, both reached Class-A Advanced after playing in short season leagues last season.
Anderson finished the year with a 2.51 ERA and 3-5 record in 43 relief appearances over 71 2/3 innings pitched in the Seattle Mariners organization. He started the season with the Clinton (Iowa) Lumberkings of the Class-A Midwest League before getting called up to the Class-A Advanced Modesto Nuts of the California League.
Haley made 69 appearances in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, batting .267 with a home run, 30 RBIs, 10 doubles and 11 stolen bases. He opened the season with the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the Class-A Advanced Florida State League, and was assigned to the Bowling Green (Ky.) Hot Rods of the Class-A Midwest League in late July, where he batted .320 over 27 games to conclude the season.