State College Spikes Ready for 2019 Opener

photo: Medlar Field at Lubrano Park (Cooper Deck/The Cardinal Nation)

The State College Spikes of the New York-Penn League are preparing to start their season this Friday, June 14 when visiting the Williamsport Crosscutters. As always, there are significant changes to the team from previous years.

Jose Leon (St. Louis Cardinals)

First and foremost, the Spikes will be managed by Jose Leon, who is stepping into his first assignment as a manager. Leon was previously drafted by the Cardinals in the 1994 MLB draft, reached MLB as a player and has been the hitting coach for the Dominican Summer League Cardinals, who under his coaching, led the league in batting average.

When asked about his expectations for the season, Leon was optimistic.

“I’m really excited,” he said. “We’ve been working for two and a half months down in Florida and I think we have a really good team.”

However, Leon acknowledged the struggles that come with the territory as manager.

“I’m going to make a lot of mistakes, guys,” he said with a smile. “You know when you’re a first-year manager, you make a lot of mistakes, but my real challenge is having kids that have never played under the lights, and get them used to the system and used to bus rides.”

Since Leon has gone through the journey of a minor league player who climbed through the ranks to the top, he is stressing the importance of trying to help the players grow as much as they can.

“I’m trying to help the most I can and [share] the mistakes that I made when I was a player,” he said. “I’m going to help the kids the most I can and try to make them better every day. I’m trying to help with the language and help with everything I can.”

Matt Duce (State College Spikes)

The Cardinals ninth round draft pick in 2018, Matt Duce, says the effect of Leon as manager is already prevalent.

“It’s big because [the season] is a grind. The minor leagues, it’s a hard round and it’s a fun road at times,” he said. “But at the same time having a manager like Leon to give you his experience and stuff like that is key.”

As a returning Spike, Duce is trying to help the new players as much as he can as well.

“You always try to share what you’ve been through with the guys that need it,” he said. “You just try to stay positive each day, you try to be there for the guys, but you also play your own game and try to lead by example.”

With everything that the team has gained from Florida from the past couple of months, Duce says they are excited to get the season under way.

“It’s always nice to come out and play in front of some fans and under the lights and stuff like that.” He said. “We’re all looking forward to it and really excited to play. State College is a great place to play.”

The Spikes will travel to Williamsport for the season opener on Friday before their home opener on Saturday, June 15.

The team will be honoring Josiah Viera, the honorary bench coach since 2013 who was born with Hutchinson-Gilford progeria and died on Christmas Eve. Saturday is Josiah Viera night, but the team will be wearing a ‘JV’ patch on their jerseys all season in his memory.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Saturday.


Tentative roster

Kevin Woodall (Bret Jacomet photo)

Duce is among seven 2018 Spikes back with the club. Others are pitchers Michael Baird and Hector Villalobos, catcher Cameron Knight, infielder Imeldo Diaz and outfielders Stanley Espinal and Kevin Woodall.

Five players are moving up from Johnson City and two are making the move from the Gulf Coast League. Five pitchers are making the big jump from the 2018 Dominican Summer League. Seven Spikes have full season experience, including pitchers Fabian Blanco, Eli Kraus and Enmanuel Solano, both catchers, infielder Moises Castillo and outfielder Andres Luna.

Rounding out the roster will be a contingent of college players drafted by St. Louis earlier this month. This group is expected to include RHP Tony Locey (third round), LHP Connor Thomas (fifth), catcher Pedro Pages (sixth), RHP Adrian Mardueno (20th), RHP Scott Politz (29th) and third baseman Brylie Ware (23rd).

The Cardinal Nation will have the full Opening Day roster later in the day on Friday.


Update

The team released its Opening Night roster on Friday morning.


For more

Each Saturday starting on June 22, the State College Spikes Notebook, will be available for members of The Cardinal Nation. Get your Spikes news direct from Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, from local reporter Nick Mazone.

Also, all Spikes game recaps will be included in TCN’s daily Minor League Notebooks, posted every morning.


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