2016 (JUNIOR)
Season: Started 26 of 42 games at every infield position except shortstop … Frequently used as a late-inning defensive replacement at second base … Posted a .330 on base percentage … Made three one-inning pitching appearances with no runs allowed, two hits, a walk and three strikeouts. Vs. Army (2/20 G2): Made pitching debut, pitching one inning of a combined shutout, striking out one and allowing one hit. At No. 15 South Carolina (2/26-27): Walked twice, stole a base and singled in a run over two starts. At UNCW (3/5-7): Started and reached base in all three games … Went 1-for-2 with a walk and two stolen bases in second game … Walked twice and scored a crucial run in 5-4 win in series finale. Niagara (3/19): Reached base four times, scoring on three occasions, by going 1-for-3 with a walk and two hit by pitches. Purdue (4/1-2): Started at second base and had hits in all three games, going 6-for-10 with three RBIs, a triple and three doubles … Doubled and scored a run in series opener … Went 5-for-8 with a walk and three RBIs in doubleheader to close series … Tallied a triple in the first game and two doubles and a run in the second game. At Kent State (4/20): Hit 3-for-5 with an RBI. At Pittsburgh (5/11): Went 2-for-3 with a walk, double and two runs scored in come-from-behind win. Summer: Batted .247 in 69 games in the Northwoods League with five home runs, 36 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.
2015 CUBA TRIP
Started three of four games … Scored a team-high three runs and was the lone Nittany Lion to homer during the Cuba Baseball Friendship Tournament … One of five Nittany Lions to have a multi-hit game … Was the U.S. flag bearer for the first game of the tournament and played in and started the final three games … Went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs in historic 9-3 win over Mayabeque ñ the first win for a U.S. team against a Cuban National Series team … Home run was the first by an American against a Cuban National Series team.
2015 (REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE)
Season: Started 36 of 38 games played at three different infield positions and designated hitter … Despite missed time due to injury, led team with 21 walks … Ranked second with a .376 on-base percentage … Batted .258 with first career home run and 12 RBIs. At Elon (2/13-15): Went 2-for-5 with a double and RBI in season opener … Finished series going 3-for-9 with four walks. At No. 23 Texas A&M: Went 3-for-4 with a double. At Liberty (3/14-15): Went 4-for-6 in two-game series … Doubled, walked, hit a sacrifice fly and scored a run in opener … Went 3-for-4 with a run scored in finale. No. 21 Indiana (3/22): Combined to go 4-for-8 with four RBIs, two runs, two walks and a stolen base in doubleheader … Went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a walk and a run to contribute to Penn State’s first victory over a nationally-ranked team since 2012. Central Connecticut State (3/29): Matched season-high of three hits for the fourth time, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run. At Ohio State (4/4-6): Went 4-for-11 in three-game series, hitting all doubles … Tallied RBI in second game going 2-for-3 with a run. Michigan (4/12): Went 2-for-4 with a double, RBI, run and stolen base. At Michigan State (5/8-10) & at Purdue (5/14): Had hits in each of final four games … Hit first career home run in opener at Michigan State.
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
Spent freshman season in 2013 at Ole Miss … Played in 39 games and started in 23 for the Rebels, primarily at second base … Tallied 15 hits, including three doubles … Got experience playing in the SEC Tournament as well as an NCAA regional game.
HIGH SCHOOL
Lettered all four years at Altoona Area High School under head coach Tom Smith … Named a team captain as a junior and senior … Helped lead Altoona to a seventh district championship and the program's first semifinal appearance in the Class 4A State Tournament in 2012 … Four time selection to the Altoona Mirror's first team … Hit .409 with four home runs for his career … Also posted a 15-5 record with a 2.80 ERA and 111 strikeouts through 94.0 career innings pitched … Named a 2012 all-state second team selection … Hit .415 with two home runs, 17 RBIs and 27 runs scored as a senior … Also posted a 1.89 ERA as a senior … Played summer ball with the Wise Trailer Sales, where his team won the AAABA Altoona League championship and he won league MVP with a .508 batting average, 12 doubles, four triples and 33 RBIs.
PERSONAL
Born on November 30, 1993 in York, Pa. … Parents are Dorothy and Mark Helsel … Has a younger sister, Lexi, and a younger brother, Zack … Father played baseball at Mercer and mother was on the track and field team at Slippery Rock … Majoring in nutritional sciences.