Former New York Yankees draft choice Tim Battle Jr. will advance his role with the State College Spikes as the manager for the 2024 season.

Battle, who served as the hitting coach for the Spikes last season, propelled Spikes individuals to lead in numerous offensive categories across the Major League Baseball Draft League.

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Before his time spent in State College, Tim Battle Jr. was selected during the third round by the New York Yankees of the 2003 MLB Draft. Shortly after, Battle was detoured by a diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma, placing him in rounds of chemotherapy treatments for six months. After facing this, Battle returned to the game, leading to a 14-year professional career.

Battle spent six seasons with the Yankees organization and six more playing American Independent professional baseball. He then secured international experience by playing for the Kochi Fighting Dogs in Japan and the Edmonton Capitals in Canada.

Following his career, Battle decided he wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the game, leading to the start of his coaching and entrepreneurship efforts. He began these endeavors by opening up and managing his own baseball training facility, Battlegroundz Baseball, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Through these operations, Battle discovered a passion for developing future generations of players, making him eager to transfer to the MLB Draft League and with the Spikes.

Battle will take the stage of the newly-renovated Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for his first home game as manager on Friday, June 7, against the West Virginia Black Bears.

Tickets for all 40 Spikes home games can be purchased online, over the phone, or at the ballpark.