The transfer portal rolls on in college baseball, as Mike Gambino continues to build up Penn State baseball for the 2026 season.

The latest addition to the roster is a bit of a homecoming story. Infielder Kevin Karstetter, born and raised in State College, is transferring to Penn State for his graduate season, he announced on social media on Friday. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

Karstetter was the No. 321 player in the country and No. 8 in Pennsylvania in the Class of 2021, committing to State College of Florida. At this junior college, he spent the first three years of his collegiate career. After batting .415 in his junior year in 2023, he transferred to Arizona State, where he slashed a modest .260/.372/.410 with two home runs and 13 RBI in 34 games. He played two seasons with the State College Spikes in the MLB Draft League while he was there.

He spent 2025 with the University of Tampa in Division II. This past season, he slashed .332/.414/.500 with five home runs, 24 extra base hits, 48 RBI, and 19 stolen bases for the eventual national champions. He hit a massive game-tying home run late in a loser’s bracket elimination game to save Tampa’s season.

Karstetter got a sixth year of eligibility due to not only playing in the 2021 season, impacted by COVID-19, but also the recent court ruling that granted former junior college athletes an additional year of eligibility. The third baseman will join an infield consisting of Jack Porter, Bryce Molinaro, and two recent transfers, but things could change in this week’s MLB draft.