Former North Carolina INF Joe Jaconski - Joe Bray/North Carolina Athletics
There is a new addition to Penn State’s Baseball team. The university’s X, formally Twitter, account announced that Joe Jaconski is joining the Nittany Lions. Jaconski is originally from Pennsylvania but played for North Carolina for two years. The Penn State baseball team missed out on the Big Ten tournament in 2023, but this addition could significantly help the team next season. Here is a look at Joe Jaconski, and what he brings to the Nittany Lions.
Joe Jaconski Recognitions
Just from the Penn State Baseball account’s post, it is clear the school is making big movies. Joe Jaconski is a three-time First Team All-Conference player at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School. He also was rated number one in Pennsylvania by Perfect Game for the class of 2021. If these are just accolades for high school, Jaconski will only continue to get better as long as he is healthy.
Time With North Carolina
Joe Jaconski has not had too much playing time in North Carolina, but it has not been bad either. He has had five starts but has been a part of 24 games. A small playing time, but still chances to start, is a good look for Jaconski and his future with the Penn State Nittany Lions. In the 2022-2023 year, North Carolina held a 14-14 conference record and a 36-24 overall record. Although these are different conferences, perhaps Jaconski can help be a part of a new culture with the Nittany Lions.
In 2022, Jaconski took part in 20 games. This drastically became much less in 2023 when he played in four games. In the 2023 season, Jaconski had two RBIs when batting, according to Baseball Reference. The lack of game time in 2023 does explain the move to Penn State. This could be his chance to prove why North Carolina should have utilized him more.
What’s Next for Penn State
Big changes are being made to the Penn State Nittany Lions when it comes to their baseball program. They endured a rough 2023 season, missing out on the Big Ten tournament. The other teams in the conference are not going to slow down, which means Penn State knows they need to make changes. The first step in these changes was to part ways with their head coach.
At the beginning of July, Penn State University named Mike Gambino as the new head coach. Gambino previously was the head coach for Boston College for 13 seasons. This is a needed change, and now Joe Jaconski is a part of this change. These are smart moves by the Nittany Lions, and fans should be excited.
After being placed second to last in the Big Ten in 2023, the school is clearly putting in an effort. This is potentially a smart move by the Nittany Lions. Growing the baseball program now will especially be beneficial before the conference expansion in 2024. They can use the 2023 season to build, and compete the following year. Joe Jaconski is just one of the many things that fans can look forward to.
