📍 State College, Pennsylvania
⚾ Home of the State College Spikes

A dual-purpose stadium that serves as the home of both Penn State baseball and the State College Spikes of the MLB Draft League, Medlar Field at Lubrano Park is a classic minor league facility with a community-focused atmosphere. The ballpark – built in 2006 and certainly a decent venue for the modern age – maintains a somewhat old-school feel but is a comfortable place to catch a game no matter what teams are out on the field.

Centrally located in the Keystone State’s Appalachian region, Medlar Field features a red brick exterior shrouded in brightly-colored shrubbery, helping the stadium blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. The hills of Happy Valley make for a truly beautiful backdrop; iconic Mount Nittany dominates the outfield skyline, with an informative board on the stadium concourse providing deeper insight into this local landmark.

Facing back towards home plate, adjacent Beaver Stadium looms over the ballpark, which serves first and foremost as the Nittany Lions’ springtime home. Though the team often spends the first few weeks of college baseball season down south in far warmer Cary, North Carolina, the squad has been playing in State College continuously since the late 1800s. Unfortunately, PSU hasn’t made much of a splash in the postseason since the turn of the millennium.

As spring turns to summer, the State College Spikes take over as the city’s primary baseball entertainment. Coming from New Jersey in 2006 – a move that coincided with the construction of Medlar Field – the Spikes were a short-season affiliate for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates prior to joining the MLB Draft League following the realignment of the minors. The team is named for both a type of antler found on much of the state’s buck population and for the region’s railroad history, allowing the Spikes to showcase plenty of locally branded tie-ins. Chief amongst them is the Pennsylvania Governors race, a Keystone State riff of the famed Presidents Race at Nationals Park. Antler-shaped beer bats are also one of the biggest hits at the concession stands.

On the whole, the Spikes have fostered a family-friendly atmosphere with a unique Pennsylvania twist; combined with the stunning natural setting, Medlar Field is an all-around lovely little ballpark and is a testament to the everlasting appeal of small-town sports.