Quadruple Crown: Ryan McCarty has historic season with Penn State Abington
It’s no secret that the best player in D3 baseball by a wide margin this season has been Penn State Abington’s, Ryan McCarty.
Over the 2022 season, McCarty has led in almost every batting statistic by a wide margin, helping to lead the Nittany Lions to a 31-9 record.
Ryan McCarty in 2022:
- .552 Batting Average (Highest in NCAA)
- 95 Hits (Most in NCAA)
- 27 Home Runs (Most in NCAA)
- 26 Doubles (Most in NCAA)
- 85 RBIs (Most in NCAA)
- 85 Runs (Most in NCAA)
Yes, you’re reading that correctly. This kid is leading every division in the NCAA in nearly every batting statistic there is. Watching McCarty hit is like loading up MLB The Show and playing on beginner. In his last game this season, Ryan had 4 home runs in one game, tying a Division 3 record.
With the season he’s having, McCarty’s baseball career is only getting started, as he will surely be a name to watch during July’s MLB Draft. Even before this year, he was an All-American and D3 Baseball’s Rookie of the Year in 2018.
I was able to sit down with Ryan to discuss his historic 2022 season, how he got here, and what lies beyond for him.
Abington has been on a roll, winning 17 of their last 18 games heading into the United East tournament this weekend. It’s sure to be a big weekend for the Nittany Lions, who look to win their first United East championship.
McCarty has been the helm for Abington this entire season. Although he’s been at the center of the team’s uprising, he surely didn’t do it by himself.
“Being able to be a part of this team let alone be one of their leaders is a blessing. The amount of great ball players and great men around me is really what makes this so enjoyable. Through all the great times together we even got to create a historic season with the most wins in program history! I think that the bondage we have for each other is what makes us so successful, and is what makes this season unforgettable.”
With the year he’s having, D3 Player of the Year is a realistic accomplishment for McCarty, but it still isn’t his top goal for this season.
“Winning D3 Player of the Year would be an incredible achievement and something that would mean a lot to me but still wouldn’t mean as much as winning our conference championship and advancing to the regionals. I have prayed for both of these opportunities so this entire season was in God’s hands, no matter the outcome I always give Him thanks to be able to play this game let alone achieve such an incredible award.”
Abington was given new life this off-season when they brought in former La Salle head coach Dave Miller to take over the program. A combination of Miller’s new staff and some familiar faces helped this team take that next step they’ve been waiting for.
“The new coaching staff was something not expected, but then out of nowhere, we get two big league coaches. This season with Coach Miller and Manto has allowed me to continue to learn even more about baseball because these guys have been to the highest of levels and played with Hall of Famers.
So they teach us what they know from their experience and it has helped immensely on both sides of the baseball, fielding, and hitting. It has been such a pleasure and honor to play for Coach Miller, Manto, Dimento, and Roth.”
No matter how this season ends, McCarty’s journey is just getting started and regardless of how successful he may be, he is only focused on the next few weeks.
“Following this season I am looking to pursue my dream of playing in the big leagues! I still believe there is a much better version of myself as a player so there is a lot of work to be done in the weight room and in the kitchen. I am just going to continue to pray for my opportunity and take it one day at a time because at the moment we have a conference championship to get after.”
It often takes a village to raise a player, and McCarty is extremely thankful for everyone who has helped him along the way.
“I first have to thank God for allowing me to be able to play the game of baseball every day. That alone is an incredible blessing because a lot of people are going to wake up today that want to play this game but can’t. There have been a lot of great influences in my life, however, none bigger than my family. They have such a great influence on me and I thank them because they showed me what true dedication and hard work looks like.
They have sacrificed so much for me every since I was kid to be able to play this game year round, sacrificing thousands of dollars to let me play this game rather than taking nice vacations and traveling. That is why I play with this game with such passion because I want to give everything back to them.“
Best of luck to Penn State Abington this postseason, and hopefully, they can continue their dominant run and make a push for the D3 National Championship.
Mandatory Credit: Nate Teagle
