All Roads Lead to Happy Valley: The Jaconski’s Reunite at Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Jesse and Joe Jaconski have been inseparable since their days running around the backyard wiffle ball field built by their dad. The childhood Field of Dreams acted as a container for flying fists, lifelong memories and the birthplace of a dream that they would one day share the bright lights of a signature stage.

 

The Jaconski’s are no stranger to playing together whether it be with bright yellow wiffle ball bats or the drop-3 bats used collegiately. The two brothers, separated by 18 months, first shared the field in little league where they won championships with their dad - the man Jesse called their “No. 1 fan” - as the coach.

 

Jesse said he and his older brother, Joe, grew up in a competitive environment and were quickly bonded by baseball with dirt covered jerseys and runny eye black. “There was trash talking here and there, but it was always a good time,” Joe said.

Little League gave way to the big diamond and Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, where they both blossomed into sought-after collegiate prospects. Joe and Jesse even shared the same side of the infield with the former at shortstop and the latter at third base.

 

Joe cemented himself as a potent hitter and was ranked as the No. 1 shortstop in Pennsylvania for the 2021 class, while Jesse was the third-ranked third baseman in the Keystone State for the 2022 class.

 

Joe took off for the University of North Carolina, where he won an ACC Tournament Championship and reached a Super Regional during his freshman season in 2022, before Jesse joined him the next year. The brothers lived out their dream of playing together in 2023 and got a glimpse of Mike Gambino’s style after his Boston College squad swept North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

 

“Coach brought his guys into our stadium, they flew around and beat us,” Joe said. “It was impressive and we were like ‘wow, I don’t know what just happened’ but that’s the style his teams have.”

 

Jesse said it was special to share the experience of the NCAA Tournament with Joe but they both entered the transfer portal shortly after the Terre Haute regional in search of greater playing time.

 

The dream of finishing their college careers together was in serious doubt.

 

“After my freshman year, when we both transferred and went to two different schools, I got the feeling like, I don't know if I'll ever be able to play with him again, which kind of sucked because we grew up our whole lives playing together so I didn’t know if we were going to get the chance ever again,” Jesse said.

 

Joe returned home to Pennsylvania and had a career-season with Penn State in 2024 during his junior campaign. Joe played in all 53 games, recorded the fourth-most walks in a single-season with 43 and posted a .412 on-base percentage.

Jesse took his talents to the junior college level and Harford Community College where he had a dominant sophomore season. Jesse hit .407 with a team-high 18 doubles, 55 RBIs and a 1.188 OPS.

 

Jesse’s strong sophomore campaign caught the attention of Division I coaches but said, “in the back of my mind, this is always where I wanted to come.” He announced in April 2024 that he would be reuniting with his brother at Penn State for the 2025 season.

 

Before becoming roommates at Penn State, Jesse and Joe’s journey took them to the New England Collegiate Baseball League for summer ball where they continued their success from the spring.

 

Jesse was with the North Shore Navigators and Joe spent the summer season with the Keene Swamp Bats where he finished second in the NECBL in RBI with 33, third in home runs and sixth in batting average at .341.

 

The brothers shared the field once again as NECBL All-Stars in Bristol, Connecticut, where they got to commemorate the day with their parents, who spent the spring season at Joe’s games on Friday and Saturday and at Jesse’s on Thursday and Sunday.

 

“Our parents got to come up to it and it was a full day of events so before the game, we were able to spend most of the time together and it was pretty cool seeing him with the NECBL jersey that was obviously the opposing team but it was cool to be in that situation, to be there with him and share that,” Jesse said.

 

The brothers have yet to play in the same game at the college level and are hoping to generate more memories during Joe’s senior season in 2025.

 

It’ll be the first time since 2023 that Jesse and Joe will don the same stripes and have achieved what other brothers still dream of doing. The splits in their paths have always circled back to one another and they’re hoping to push their bond forward on a team looking to make history.

 

“Especially now, we’re obviously older, more mature and have a better understanding of what’s going on so I feel like if we’re to do that here [make the NCAA Tournament], it’d be pretty special,” Jesse said.