March 2, 2026
Penn State opens their season at the MLB Desert Invitational. First pitch against Air Force is at 2:00 PM Mountain Time. By the end of the weekend, they'll have faced Grand Canyon and Kansas State too.
Mike Gambino is standing in the Arizona sun watching his third Penn State team take the field. Two years ago, they made the Big Ten championship game. Last year, they had the best regular season in a decade. This year? Baseball America has them as an NCAA Tournament bubble team before they've even thrown a pitch.That's what momentum looks like in Happy Valley.
THE FUTURE IS BEING BUILT NOW
2027 Commits:
- Colton Manning – OF
- Brady Helms – 2B
- Ben Sclafani – LHP
- Jon Saunders – RHP
- Curt Friedrich – OF
- Trent Lutz – RHP
- Briar Persing – RHP
- Freddy Corrado – RHP
- Deshaun White – OF
- Cooper Hillen – SS
2028 Class: Actively recruiting as Gambino continues building Big Ten depth.
That's 10 commits already for 2027. Gambino isn't waiting—he's locking down talent early.
* Disclaimer: Premier Athletes cannot 100% guarantee the accuracy of the verbal college commitments listed. Commitments only include those that Premier is aware of.
THE STORY SO FAR
2024: Big Ten title game appearance
2025: 33-23 record, best season in 10 years, tied school record with 5 MLB draft picks
2026: Preseason ranked, projected 6th-8th in Big Ten, national tournament expectations
Gambino took a Penn State program that was solid but never special and turned it into a Big Ten contender in three years. No smoke and mirrors. Just smart recruiting, player development, and winning when it matters.
WHAT YOU'RE WATCHING IN 2026
The Rotation:
- Connor Fitzgerald (Friday)
- Jake Hudson (Saturday)
- Isaiah Shayter (Sunday—freshman making his debut vs. Kansas State)
The Wildcard: Bryce Molinaro. He started all 56 games in 2025, got drafted, and came back. That's the kind of player who sets the tone for an entire roster.
The Freshman Class: Ranked #36 nationally by Perfect Game. Three top-350 prospects including RHP Ethan Bauerschmidt and RHP Isaiah Shayter. Plus SS Preston Yaucher, who Gambino can't stop raving about defensively.
The Reality: Penn State lost five drafted players from 2025 (including ace Ryan DeSanto and leadoff hitter Paxton Kling) and reloaded through recruiting and the portal. That's what sustainable programs do.
THE BIG TEN FACTOR
Penn State plays in the Big Ten. That means facing programs like Nebraska, Indiana, Michigan, and Maryland every weekend. No cupcakes. No padding stats against weak competition.
Here's the advantage: they don't play UCLA this year. UCLA is the preseason Big Ten favorite loaded with MLB prospects including projected #1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky. Penn State avoiding them is huge for NCAA tournament resume building.
WHY STATE COLLEGE WORKS
The School: Penn State. 48,000 students. Big Ten academics and resources. World-class facilities. Alumni network that reaches everywhere.
The Baseball: Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Big Ten competition. Mike Gambino's development track record (5 drafted in 2025). Consistent tournament appearances.
The Opportunity: Gambino is building something sustainable. He's recruiting at an elite level (#36 class nationally). If your athlete fits Big Ten baseball and Penn State academics, the timing is right.
WHAT GAMBINO WANTS
The Honest Version:
He's not looking for projects. That #36 recruiting class tells you everything—he's landing elite prospects who are Big Ten-ready.
What he values:
- Proven performance at your level
- Academic qualifications (Penn State standards)
- Mental toughness (Big Ten grind is real)
- Position versatility
- Players who understand championship culture
If you're a 2027 or 2028, understand this: Gambino just signed 8 commits for 2027. He's building roster depth and competition. You're not getting handed anything.
THE SIMPLE REALITY
Penn State opens the 2026 season with NCAA Tournament expectations. They're ranked nationally. They've made six straight Big Ten Tournaments. And Mike Gambino has proven he can develop pros (5 drafted last year).
This isn't a program hoping to compete. They're expected to make regionals.
For 2027s and 2028s: Penn State is actively recruiting. Gambino lands elite classes. If your athlete fits Big Ten baseball and Penn State academics, the opportunity exists—but so does the competition for roster spots.
To your son's success.
P.S. The hardest email I get every year is, “We didn’t realize how important March was.” Don’t let that be you.
Join us tomorrow at 8 PM and get ahead while other families wait.
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About Alex
Meet your college baseball recruiting specialist: Alex Swenson.
As a high school baseball player, I navigated the college recruiting process all on my own. Despite average statistics, I landed a spot on a Division-1 baseball team Jacksonville University, where I became a 3-time team captain. Post-college, I became a D1 coach, scout, and recruiter at Georgetown University and Ole Miss, where we won an SEC championship.
After experiencing the process as both recruit and recruiter, I’ve successfully dissected the best strategies to connect with college coaches and draw offers from them.
After experiencing the process as both recruit and recruiter, I’ve successfully dissected the best strategies to connect with college coaches and draw offers from them.
Learn more about Alex’s Experience
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