Ballpark History
On May 18, 2005, Groundbreaking ceremonies were held at the future site of Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Located on the campus of Penn State University, the ballpark became the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified baseball stadium in the world. The certification, which is awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council, is a third-party certification program and the nationally-accepted benchmark for design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
For more information on Medlar Field at Lubrano Park's LEED Certification, click here.
The Spikes and Penn State University collaborated on a unique and mutually-beneficial working relationship with the building of the new state-of-the-art ballpark. The Penn State varsity baseball team plays its home schedule from March through May, while the Spikes' 38-game New York-Penn League schedule runs from mid-June to September. Believed to be one of the first of its kind in the country, this unique partnership not only benefits Penn State Athletics and the State College Spikes, but also the University as a whole, the State College community and all of Central Pennsylvania.
NAMING OF THE BALLPARK
Charles "Chuck" Medlar
Penn State Baseball Coach 1963-1981
Charles "Chuck" Medlar was a fixture at Penn State for over 40 years. He served as the head athletic trainer for over 35 years, working primarily with the football team while also helping establish the foundation for the athletic training system at Penn State. He was later the head baseball coach and also served as an assistant professor of physical education.
Medlar first came to Penn State in 1938 as a three-sport athlete (football, basketball, baseball). He left in 1941 to play professional baseball and also served in the Navy during World War II. After the war and his professional career, Medlar returned to PSU and earned his bachelor's and master's degrees. Upon graduating in 1946, Medlar was hired as an athletic trainer, where he worked under four head football coaches: Bob Higgins, Joe Bedenk, Rip Engle and Joe Paterno. While in this role, he also served as an assistant baseball coach.
As a head baseball coach from 1963-1981, Chuck Medlar compiled a 312-141-6 record in his 19 seasons as head coach. He coached four All-Americans, 16 All-Region honorees, 14 Major League draft picks, and led the Nittany Lions to two College World Series appearances. The first appearance came in Medlar's first year as head coach in 1963, and once again in 1973, which is the last time Penn State made a College World Series appearance. In 2000, Chuck was inducted into the Pennsylvania Athletic Training Hall of Fame, which honored not only his work with Penn State, but also his work with the U.S. Olympic Team in 1952, 1964, and 1968. Medlar passed away in 1999 at the age of 81.
Anthony P. Lubrano
Penn State Class of 1982
Anthony P. Lubrano, a 1982 graduate of Penn State, named the ballpark in honor of Chuck Medlar's outstanding career as a leader of student-athletes.
Lubrano's $2.5 million donation to Penn State got the construction of the ballpark underway, and his gift in conjunction with other private donations, state and university funds and the Spikes involvement brought Medlar Field at Lubrano Park to fruition.
Lubrano was a magna cum laude graduate of the Smeal College of Business with a B.S. in accounting. After receiving his CPA, Lubrano spent eight years with the investment banking firms of Goldman Sachs and First Boston. He was relocated to Tokyo while working with First Boston. During his time in Japan, he helped coordinate First Boston Asia Ltd.'s successful application to become a member of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
In 1989, Lubrano returned to the United States and started his current firm, A.P. Lubrano & Company, Inc. Lubrano currently serves as the President and CEO of the firm. A.P. Lubrano & Company currently has nearly 6,000 clients in 46 states and manages over $250 million in assets with emphasis in the areas of investment services and group benefits.
In 2012, Lubrano was elected to the Penn State University Board of Trustees.
Orioles' Honeycutt joins The Show Before the Show
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Red Sox prospect rips double THROUGH Fenway-esque scoreboard
Red Sox No. 4 prospect Franklin Arias, an infielder for High-A Greenville, REALLY didn’t want to let visiting Asheville score any runs in the top of the eighth inning on Friday night. With runners on first and second base in the bottom of the fourth, Arias showed he apparently held
April's hottest hitting prospects -- one for each organization
The Minor League season is a month old and several of the game's best hitting prospects are off to fast starts. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is tearing up Triple-A (just like he did at the end of last year), Padres shortstop Leo De Vries is leading the High-A Midwest
Check out the best -- and wackiest -- Minor League promos happening in May
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast coming LIVE to a Somerset this June
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
New ballparks highlight 2025 MiLB road trip stops
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Minor League Baseball partners with TruGreen
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- TruGreen, the nation's leading lawn care treatment provider, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Minor League Baseball that includes activations across all 120 clubs, a makeover of the home dugout in each market, sponsorship of select MiLB team grounds crews, and a new initiative called
Podcast explains why the Syracuse Mets are looking for Jim Morrison
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Dash im-prom-tu promo and Mets' Suero joins the podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between