UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Eight former Penn State baseball players recently concluded their 2022 minor league seasons. Four Nittany Lions played at the Double-A or Triple-A level, while five Penn Staters earned a promotion during the season.
Taylor Lehman is continuing his 2022 season in the Arizona Fall League, pitching for the Surprise Saguaros.
Dante Biasi, P, Kansas City Royals
Biasi pitched the entire 2022 campaign with the NW Arkansas Naturals in Double-A. Biasi made 22 appearances, including 15 starts, with a 6-5 record and a 4.09 ERA. In 83.2 innings, Biasi tallied 86 strikeouts. Biasi notched seven appearances with no earned runs allowed and 18 games with multiple strikeouts. The former Nittany Lion recorded an 0.96 ERA over four starts in July, earning Texas League Pitcher of the Week honors on August 1.
Bailey Dees, P, New York Yankees
Dees pitched for the Single-A Tampa Tarpons and High-A Hudson Valley Renegades in 2022. He made 34 total appearances, with a 4-3 mark, six holds and a 3.30 ERA. Dees collected 70 strikeouts in 57.1 innings and held opponents to a .182 batting average. The former 18th-round pick did not allow an earned run in 21 appearances and had multiple strikeouts in 22 games. In June, Dees had a 2.57 ERA in eight appearances. He registered a 2.16 ERA in August. Dees was promoted to Hudson Valley in late August.
Justin Hagenman, P, Los Angeles Dodgers
Hagenman, following a strong Spring Training, pitched for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers and Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers. In 46 appearances (two starts), Hagenman with 5-3 with six holds and a save. He recorded a 5.57 ERA in 63 innings, while posting 65 strikeouts. Hagenman held opponents without an earned run in 29 appearances and tallied multiple strikeouts in 19 games. In April, Hagenman pitched to a 1.98 ERA in seven appearances. He also had a 1.86 ERA in August (seven appearances). Hagenman was promoted to Oklahoma City in late April.
Jim Haley, IF, Tampa Bay Rays
Haley played for Triple-A Durham, helping the Bulls to an International League title and a Triple-A National Championship. Haley played in 112 games for the Bulls, playing mostly at first base and third base. The Pennsylvania native collected 86 hits, including 14 doubles, five triples and 18 homers. Haley had double-digit homers for the third-straight season. Haley posted 47 RBI, 61 runs and 16 stolen bases. He registered 21 multi-hit games, 12 multi-RBI games and two multi-homer games.
Conor Larkin, P, Toronto Blue Jays
Larkin, a ninth-round pick by the Blue Jays in 2021, pitched for the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays and High-A Vancouver Canadians. In 17 appearances, Larkin notched a hold and four saves while recording a 3.75 ERA. He tallied 30 strikeouts in 24 innings. Larkin had 12 outings where he did not allow an earned run and 11 outings with multiple strikeouts. While pitching with Dunedin, Larkin had a streak of nine-straight appearances where he did not give up an earned run. He was promoted to Vancouver in May.
Taylor Lehman, P, Philadelphia Phillies
Lehman pitched in 21 games this season, including 15 appearances (four starts) with the Double-A Reading Fightin' Phils. As a member of the Reading pitching staff, Lehman went 1-1 with a 3.74 ERA and two holds. In 21.2 innings, Lehman totaled 25 strikeouts, only seven walks, and held opponents to a .210 batting average. Lehman re-joined Reading in late July after working through rehab after a season-ending injury in 2021. Lehman recorded 17 appearances with no earned runs allowed and 10 games with multiple strikeouts in 2022. He was invited to pitch in the Arizona Fall League with the Surprise Saguaros.
Kyle Virbitsky, P, Oakland A's
Virbitsky pitched for the Single-A Stockton Ports and the High-A Lansing Lugnuts in 2022. In 23 appearances (22 starts), Virbitsky had a 7-7 record and a hold. He tallied a 4.63 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 126.1 innings. Virbitsky led the Oakland A's farm system in strikeouts. The Pennsylvania native had nine starts where he allowed 1 or less earned run. He posted eight or more strikeouts in six games, including 10 strikeouts on May 6 and 11 strikeouts on August 27. He was promoted to Lansing in July.
Justin Williams, 1B/3B, Houston Astros
Williams played for the Single-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers and High-A Asheville Tourists. In 69 games, Williams posted 58 hits, including 14 doubles and five homers, 26 runs, 31 RBI and a stolen base. He recorded 15 multi-hit games and nine multi-RBI games. Williams earned a promotion to Asheville in August.
Matt Wood, C, Milwaukee Brewers
Wood was selected in the fourth round (132nd overall) by the Brewers in the 2022 MLB Draft. Wood became the highest-selected position player in program history and the program's highest overall selection since 2008. He played in two games with the rookie-level AZL Brewers before a season-ending injury. Wood collected his first minor league hit and RBI.
Kyle Virbitsky; Photo: Natasha Daniels/Lansing Lugnuts