UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – All three of Penn State baseball's 2019 Major League Draft picks signed professional contracts, increasing the number of Nittany Lion alums active in affiliated baseball to eight.
Senior catcher Ryan Sloniger signed with the Toronto Blue Jays after getting drafted in the 38th round with the 1,137th pick, while pitchers Dante Biasi and Eric Mock elected to forego their remaining years of NCAA eligibility to sign with the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians, respectively. Biasi was selected by the Kansas City Royals early in the sixth round with the 169th overall pick, also becoming the highest-selected left-handed pitcher in Penn State history (Jim Farr; 1974 – 200th overall, 9th round, Chicago White Sox), the highest-selected Nittany Lion pitcher overall since 2008 (Drew O'Neill; 120th overall, 4th round, Chicago White Sox) and the highest-selected Nittany Lion overall since 2010 (Ben Heath; 153rd overall, 5th round, Houston Astros). Mock was taken in the 25th round with the 760th pick overall, becoming the fifth Penn State pitcher to be drafted in the past four years.
The three are starting their careers at the Rookie level. Sloniger and Biasi are both in the Appalachian League with Sloniger playing for the Bluefield (W.Va.) Blue Jays and Biasi with the Burlington (N.C.) Royals. Mock's first assignment is with the Indians' Arizona League team.
Penn State's largest draft class since 2012 joins five other Nittany Lion alums playing affiliated professional baseball. All played under current head coach Rob Cooper, who arrived at Penn State prior to the 2014 season, for at least three seasons, and seven of the eight played their entire careers under his watch.
Cooper's first pros at Penn State came out of the 2016 MLB Draft: Jack Anderson (Seattle Mariners) and Jim Haley (Tampa Bay Rays), who are both in their fourth pro seasons. Anderson was recently named a Texas League All-Star with the Double-A Arkansas Travelers and Haley was named a Florida State League All-Star with the High-A Charlotte (Fla.) Stone Crabs. Pitcher Sal Biasi was drafted in 2017 and is now a member of the Mariners organization with the Single-A West Virginia Power. Last year, pitcher Justin Hagenman was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers and he is currently with the Single-A Great Lakes (Mich.) Loons in his second season, while pitcher Taylor Lehman, Cooper's first-ever Penn State signee, signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies after last season's draft and is now pitching for the nearby Short Season-A Williamsport Crosscutters.
Updates on all eight former Nittany Lions are below:
AA
Jack Anderson - RHP – Mariners – Arkansas Travelers
- In fourth professional season after getting drafted by the Mariners in the 23rd round in 2016.
- Boasts a career 2.37 ERA, 11-10 record, 12 saves and 180 strikeouts in 125 appearances and 175.0 innings pitched.
- In first Double-A season this year and is 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 20 appearances.
- Named a Texas League All-Star (game is June 25) and helped lead team to a first-half division championship.
- Graduated from Penn State as the school's career and single-season saves record holder.
A-Advanced
Jim Haley – IF – Rays – Charlotte Stone Crabs
- In fourth professional season after getting drafted by the Rays in the 19th round in 2016.
- Owns a .295 batting average with 15 home runs and 136 RBIs.
- Has been one of the best hitters in the Florida State League since May 11, batting .352 with 14 extra-base hits, six home runs and 32 RBIs. In that span, has eight more RBIs than anyone else in the league, while leading the circuit in slugging (.593) and OPS (1.027). Is second in batting average, hits (38) and total bases (64) and third in extra-base hits (14).
- Started the Florida State League All-Star game at third base and batted clean-up.
- Has played four different positions and occupied all nine spots in the batting order this year, batting .297.
A-Full
Sal Biasi – RHP – Mariners - West Virginia Power
- In third professional season after getting drafted by the Royals in the 11th round in 2017.
- Has a career 3.69 ERA, 12-6 record, three saves and 145 strikeouts in 65 appearances and 141.1 innings pitched.
- Was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers organization last season and traded from the Brewers to the Mariners organization last April.
- Is 5-1 with a 4.91 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 19 appearances and 29.1 innings pitched this season.
Justin Hagenman – RHP – Dodgers – Great Lakes Loons
- In second professional season after getting drafted by the Dodgers in the 23rd round in 2018.
- Has worked out of the bullpen for a career 8-1 record, 3.43 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 29 appearances and 63.0 innings pitched.
- Is 4-1 with a 2.18 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 33.0 innings pitched this season.
A-Short
Taylor Lehman – LHP – Phillies – Williamsport Crosscutters
- In second professional season after signing as a free agent with the Phillies last summer.
- Has a career 5.66 ERA, 0-1 record and 24 strikeouts in 14 appearances and 20.2 innings pitched.
- Spent last season with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Phillies and made his 2019 debut Monday for the Short Season-A Crosscutters.
- Made first professional start in season debut Monday, striking out seven and allowing just one hit and two walks in four innings pitched.
- Williamsport is scheduled to play the State College Spikes in Penn State's Medlar Field at Lubrano Park June 19-20, July 20-22, August 13 and September 1.
Rookie
Dante Biasi – LHP – Royals - Burlington Royals
- The leader of Penn State's starting rotation last season, was voted to the 2019 All-Big Ten Second Team by the conference's coaches, marking Penn State's first All-Big Ten selection since his older brother, Sal, received the same honor in 2017.
- Posted a 2.55 earned run average with 102 strikeouts in 74.0 innings over 14 starts. His 6.32 hits allowed per nine innings were the fewest in the conference, ERA ranked fourth in the Big Ten, and was one of the top strikeout pitchers during the regular season, ranking second in the Big Ten, 33rd nationally and fifth in a single-season in Penn State history. His 12.41 strikeouts per inning also ranked second in the Big Ten.
- Held opponents to one earned run or less in nine of first 10 starts and was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on April 8 after leading a combined shutout of eventual 2019 Big Ten Champion Indiana, blanking the Hoosiers in Bloomington for 6.1 innings as he struck out nine and yielded just two hits and a walk. Struck out 25 batters over a two-week period in March, racking up a career-high 13 against UMass Lowell and then 12 the following week against Minnesota. His 13 strikeouts in a game were the most by a Penn State pitcher since 2005, and the 25 total in back-to-back outings were the most at Penn State since at least 2004.
- Was originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 22nd round of the 2016 MLB Draft, but elected to attend Penn State.
- After signing, Biasi told GoPSUsports.com: "Playing professional baseball has always been a dream of mine, and to hear my name get called during the draft to provide me with this opportunity was a feeling that I will never forget in my lifetime. The past three years I've spent at Penn State have been incredible. I've made so many new friendships that will continue throughout my entire life. I want to thank the entire coaching staff, especially Coach Cooper and Coach Newman for always believing in me and for continuing to push me to reach the next level from the time I stepped on campus rehabbing Tommy John, until my last series against Arizona. Another huge thank you to JB [performance enhancement coach Jason Bradford] for always pushing me and developing me physically into the player I am today. Although my time may be up in the Blue and White, I will forever think of Penn State as my second family and another home for me."
Eric Mock – RHP – Indiana – AZL Indians
- Mock made 24 starts in 42 career appearances for Penn State, breaking out this past season as a weekend starter.
- In 2019, Mock posted a 3.93 ERA in 66.1 innings pitched, striking out 77. He allowed just two earned runs or less in eight out of his 12 starts and held opponents without a run in four starts that each lasted at least five innings.
- Early in the season, Mock finished one out shy of a complete game against Fairfield and also blanked then-No. 21 Duke over six innings, allowing just two hits and a walk. In his final two Big Ten starts of the year, he shutout both Rutgers and Ohio State over a combined 11 innings. At the conclusion of the regular season, Mock ranked seventh in the Big Ten with 10.45 strikeouts per nine innings and 10th with 7.46 hits allowed per nine innings.
- After signing, Mock told GoPSUsports.com: "Following shoulder surgery as a high school senior in 2015, I wasn't sure if I would ever realize my dream of playing Division I baseball, let alone my ultimate dreams of playing professionally then in the major leagues. I want to thank Coach Cooper for believing in me and still giving me the opportunity to play at Penn State, in addition to providing unwavering support. Thank you to all my coaches, especially Coach Newman, for everything they have done for me. My relationship with Coach Newman means more to me than he will ever realize. Thank you to all of the support staff at Penn State, especially Jason Bradford and Ben Kmetz. My time in State College has changed me as a person, and I will forever be in debt to all those who have helped me realize my childhood dreams. One final thank you to all of my teammates at Penn State who believed in me and pushed me every day."
Ryan Sloniger – C – Blue Jays – Bluefield Blue Jays
- The seventh catcher drafted in Penn State history and the first since Ben Heath was a fifth-round draft pick by the Houston Astros in 2010. Also the sixth Nittany Lion to be drafted by the Blue Jays and the first since Sean Stidfole was tabbed in the 14th round in 2005.
- Made 162 starts in 166 games, and ranks fourth all-time at Penn State in career putouts with 1,080. Broke out as a junior in 2018, leading the team in batting (306), RBIs (31), home runs (5), on-base percentage (.404) and slugging percentage (.494). Totaled 30 doubles, five triples, nine home runs and 81 RBIs for his career, while batting .246.
- Graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism.
- After signing, Sloniger told GoPSUsports.com: "I would like to thank all of my teammates and coaches for a special four years at the greatest university in the world. Now getting to live out my dream of playing professional baseball is truly unbelievable, and I am so thankful for this opportunity."