Former Nittany Lions Begin 2023 Minor League Campaigns

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Nine former Penn State baseball players are set to begin their 2023 minor league baseball seasons. Four former Nittany Lions will begin the season at the Triple-A or Double-A level. Justin Hagenman (Dodgers) and Jim Haley (Phillies) began their Triple-A seasons on March 31.
 
Five Nittany Lions made appearances in Major League Spring Training games: pitcher Justin Hagenman (Dodgers), infielder Jim Haley (Phillies), pitcher Conor Larkin (Blue Jays), pitcher Taylor Lehman (Phillies) and catcher Matt Wood (Brewers).
 
Under head coach Rob Cooper, the Nittany Lions have 12 MLB Draft selections, including eight pitchers. Nine of the 12 selections are Pennsylvania natives.
 
In the 2022 MLB Draft, catcher Matt Wood became the highest-selected position player in program history when he was drafted in the fourth round (132nd overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers.
 
Take a look where each former Nittany Lion is beginning their 2023 season.
 
Dante Biasi, P, Kansas City Royals – NW Arkansas Naturals (Double-A)
Penn State 2017-19; 6th round, Kansas City Royals (2019)
 
Biasi pitched the entire 2022 campaign with the NW Arkansas Naturals in Double-A and will return to the Naturals to begin 2023. Biasi made 22 appearances, including 15 starts, with a 6-5 record and a 4.09 ERA last season. In 83.2 innings, Biasi tallied 86 strikeouts. Biasi recorded 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 – Hudson Valley Renegades (High-A)
Penn State 2018-21; 18th round, New York Yankees (2021)
 
Dees will start the 2023 season with the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades after being promoted to Hudson Valley in August 2022. Dees made 34 total appearances, with a 4-3 mark, six holds and a 3.30 ERA last season. 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.
 
Justin Hagenman, P, Los Angeles Dodgers – Oklahoma City Dodgers (Triple-A)
Penn State 2016-18; 23rd Round, Los Angeles Dodgers (2018)
 
After appearing in five Spring Training games for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Hagenman begins the 2023 season with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers. He recorded six strikeouts in five Spring Training appearances and did not give up an earned run in three of his five outings. In 2022, Hagenman went 5-3 with six holds and a save in 46 appearances (two starts). He registered 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).
 
This season, Hagenman has made one appearance, striking out two in 1.1 scoreless innings.
 
Jim Haley, IF, Philadelphia Phillies – Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Triple-A)
Penn State 2014-16; 19th Round, Tampa Bay Rays (2016)
 
Haley signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in the offseason and appeared in 20 Spring Training Games with the Phillies, collecting five hits, two homers and seven RBI. He saw playing time at first base, second base, shortstop, third base, left field and right field. In 2022, Haley played for the Triple-A Durham Bulls in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. Haley helped the Bulls to an International League title and a Triple-A National Championship, playing in 112 games. He collected 86 hits, including 14 doubles, five triples and 18 homers. Haley notched double-digit homers for the third-straight season. He posted 47 RBI, 61 runs and 16 steals. He registered 21 multi-hit games, 12 multi-RBI games and two multi-homer games.
 
This season, Haley has started three games and is batting .333 (4-for-12) with a homer, an RBI and two runs.
 
Conor Larkin, P, Toronto Blue Jays – Vancouver Canadians (High-A)
Penn State 2018-21; 9th Round, Toronto Blue Jays (2021)
 
Larkin made an appearance in the Blue Jays' spring training game on March 26 against the Yankees, going 0.2 shutout innings. He will begin the 2023 season with the High-A Vancouver Canadians after finishing the 2022 campaign with the Canadians. In 17 appearances in 2022, Larkin notched a hold and four saves while recording a 3.75 ERA. He tallied 30 strikeouts in 24 innings and had 11 outings with multiple strikeouts. Larkin registered 12 appearances not allowing an earned run. While pitching with the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays, Larkin had a streak of nine-straight appearances without allowing an earned run. He earned a promotion to Vancouver last May.
 
Taylor Lehman, P, Philadelphia Phillies – Reading Fightin' Phils (Double-A)
Penn State 2015-18
 
After pitching with the Surprise Sagueros in the Arizona Fall League, Lehman threw in four Spring Training games for the Phillies. He tossed a total of 3.2 innings and struck out five batters. Lehman earned the win on February 26 against the Twins. With the Sagueros, Lehman struck out 16 in 11.2 innings over eight appearances. Lehman will begin the season with the Double-A Reading Fightin' Phils. As a member of the Reading pitching staff in 2022, he pitched in 15 games, going 1-1 with a 3.74 ERA and two holds. In 21.2 innings, Lehman tallied 25 strikeouts and only seven walks, while holding opponents to a .210 batting average. In 2022, Lehman recorded 17 appearances with no earned runs allowed and 10 games with multiple strikeouts.
 
Kyle Virbitsky, P, Baltimore Orioles – Aberdeen Ironbirds (High-A)
Penn State 2018-21; 17th Round, Oakland A's (2021)
 
In January 2023, Virbitsky was traded to the Baltimore Orioles organization. He will begin the 2023 season with the High-A Aberdeen Ironbirds. Virbitsky led the Oakland A's farm system in strikeouts in 2022 with 140 strikeouts in 126.1 innings. He split time between the Single-A and High-A level, totaling 23 appearances (22 starts). Virbitsky went 7-7 with a hold and a 4.63 ERA. The PA 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.
 
Justin Williams, 3B, Houston Astros – Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Single-A)
Penn State 2019-21; 17th Round, Houston Astros (2021)
 
Williams is set to start the year with the Single-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers after splitting time between Fayetteville and the High-A Asheville Tourists in 2022. 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.
 
Matt Wood, C, Milwaukee Brewers – Carolina Mudcats (Single-A)
Penn State 2020-22; 4th Round, Milwaukee Brewers (2022)
 
Wood appeared in three Spring Training games for the Brewers. He launched a homer in a game against the Great Britain World Baseball Classic team. After being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft, Wood will start the 2023 season with the Single-A Carolina Mudcats. He played in two games with the rookie-level AZL Brewers in 2022, collecting his first minor league hit and RBI. Wood is ranked as the No. 29 prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers system by MLB Pipeline and the No. 23 prospect in the organization by Baseball America.