From LSU to Penn State: Paxton Kling returns home
WTAJ News
[{'start': '0.240', 'end': '4.160', 'text': 'Coming out of high school, Paxton Clling'}, {'start': '2.080', 'end': '5.680', 'text': 'was one of the best prep prospects in'}, {'start': '4.160', 'end': '8.240', 'text': 'the country and he went on to play'}, {'start': '5.680', 'end': '9.920', 'text': 'college ball at LSU. After two years in'}, {'start': '8.240', 'end': '11.440', 'text': 'Baton Rouge, Clling hit the transfer'}, {'start': '9.920', 'end': '12.960', 'text': 'portal and he came home to Penn State'}, {'start': '11.440', 'end': '15.360', 'text': "where he's been one of the best hitters"}, {'start': '12.960', 'end': '18.119', 'text': 'in the Big 10. Our Ryan Risky chronicles'}, {'start': '15.360', 'end': '20.880', 'text': 'his journey from national champ to Penn'}, {'start': '18.119', 'end': '23.119', 'text': 'State. The last time we saw Paxton cling'}, {'start': '20.880', 'end': '25.119', 'text': 'at Medler Field, he was celebrating a'}, {'start': '23.119', 'end': '27.119', 'text': 'state championship with Central in his'}, {'start': '25.119', 'end': '30.400', 'text': 'senior year after leading the Dragons to'}, {'start': '27.119', 'end': '32.239', 'text': "an undefeated season. Today he's back"}, {'start': '30.400', 'end': '34.559', 'text': 'wearing blue and white as one of the Big'}, {'start': '32.239', 'end': '36.160', 'text': "10's top hitters. I'm very grateful to"}, {'start': '34.559', 'end': '38.079', 'text': "be home here at Penn State. It's it's"}, {'start': '36.160', 'end': '40.239', 'text': 'honestly a blessing. Clling was a top'}, {'start': '38.079', 'end': '42.239', 'text': '100 prospect out of high school, but he'}, {'start': '40.239', 'end': '45.280', 'text': 'skipped the MLB draft for a chance to'}, {'start': '42.239', 'end': '47.600', 'text': 'play for LSU. He was obviously a five'}, {'start': '45.280', 'end': '50.320', 'text': 'tool player. Uh but what stood out with'}, {'start': '47.600', 'end': '52.480', 'text': 'Paxton was he was the first guy here'}, {'start': '50.320', 'end': '55.039', 'text': 'practice every day, last guy to leave'}, {'start': '52.480', 'end': '57.520', 'text': 'and just loves the game and uh very'}, {'start': '55.039', 'end': '59.680', 'text': 'coachable kid. It was at LSU where'}, {'start': '57.520', 'end': '62.160', 'text': 'Clling won a national championship as a'}, {'start': '59.680', 'end': '65.040', 'text': 'freshman and batted .289 with four'}, {'start': '62.160', 'end': '67.600', 'text': 'homers and nine RBI. All while learning'}, {'start': '65.040', 'end': '70.000', 'text': 'from future big leaguers Paul Skins and'}, {'start': '67.600', 'end': '72.960', 'text': 'Dylan Cruz. The first two picks in the'}, {'start': '70.000', 'end': '74.320', 'text': '2023 MLB draft. The main things I'}, {'start': '72.960', 'end': '75.920', 'text': 'learned from Paul and Dylan was just the'}, {'start': '74.320', 'end': '77.520', 'text': 'mental game is really just getting past'}, {'start': '75.920', 'end': '79.040', 'text': "situations that don't go your way and"}, {'start': '77.520', 'end': '80.400', 'text': 'just continue to move on. Like the sun'}, {'start': '79.040', 'end': '82.479', 'text': "rises the next day and it's just"}, {'start': '80.400', 'end': '84.479', 'text': 'baseball, so just go play. Skins was'}, {'start': '82.479', 'end': '86.320', 'text': 'drafted by the Pirates first overall and'}, {'start': '84.479', 'end': '88.320', 'text': 'was quickly moved up to double A with'}, {'start': '86.320', 'end': '90.080', 'text': 'the Altuna Curve where I got the chance'}, {'start': '88.320', 'end': '92.960', 'text': 'to ask him about the Roaring Spring'}, {'start': '90.080', 'end': '95.280', 'text': "native. He's a stud and I got I got"}, {'start': '92.960', 'end': '97.040', 'text': 'pretty close to him this year and um it'}, {'start': '95.280', 'end': '98.960', 'text': 'was obviously awesome to accomplish what'}, {'start': '97.040', 'end': '100.000', 'text': "we did with him and I I really can't"}, {'start': '98.960', 'end': '102.560', 'text': "wait to see what he's going to"}, {'start': '100.000', 'end': '104.799', 'text': "accomplish. 2024 didn't play out as well"}, {'start': '102.560', 'end': '106.640', 'text': "for Clling and at year's end he entered"}, {'start': '104.799', 'end': '110.640', 'text': 'the transfer portal and chose to come'}, {'start': '106.640', 'end': '113.520', 'text': 'home to Penn State. him coming back home'}, {'start': '110.640', 'end': '115.200', 'text': 'um had a massive impact on on'}, {'start': '113.520', 'end': '116.720', 'text': 'recruiting, on the way people look at'}, {'start': '115.200', 'end': '118.000', 'text': "the program. I mean, he's one of the"}, {'start': '116.720', 'end': '119.280', 'text': 'more famous high school players come out'}, {'start': '118.000', 'end': '121.360', 'text': 'of the state of Pennsylvania in a long'}, {'start': '119.280', 'end': '124.560', 'text': 'time. Clling has torched Big 10'}, {'start': '121.360', 'end': '127.759', 'text': 'pitching, hitting 327 with 12 home runs'}, {'start': '124.560', 'end': '129.280', 'text': 'and 42 RBI, showing off the raw talent'}, {'start': '127.759', 'end': '131.200', 'text': 'that made him one of the best prep'}, {'start': '129.280', 'end': '132.720', 'text': "prospects in the country. It's just"}, {'start': '131.200', 'end': '134.480', 'text': 'being myself, just trying not to do too'}, {'start': '132.720', 'end': '136.480', 'text': 'much. Just playing the game, getting the'}, {'start': '134.480', 'end': '138.000', 'text': 'pitches that that I can handle and and'}, {'start': '136.480', 'end': '139.840', 'text': 'take care of them. the tools are'}, {'start': '138.000', 'end': '141.599', 'text': "allowed. Everybody's seen him. He can"}, {'start': '139.840', 'end': '144.400', 'text': 'impact the game offensively, defensively'}, {'start': '141.599', 'end': '145.599', 'text': "on the base paths. Um, you know, he's a"}, {'start': '144.400', 'end': '147.520', 'text': 'guy that you have to game plan around'}, {'start': '145.599', 'end': '149.440', 'text': "when you're facing us every time. Going"}, {'start': '147.520', 'end': '151.840', 'text': "from one of college baseball's greatest"}, {'start': '149.440', 'end': '153.360', 'text': 'programs to Penn State, Clling says his'}, {'start': '151.840', 'end': '155.760', 'text': 'goal is to bring the winning culture'}, {'start': '153.360', 'end': '158.000', 'text': 'that he experienced at LSU to Happy'}, {'start': '155.760', 'end': '159.440', 'text': 'Valley. Penn State in recent history'}, {'start': '158.000', 'end': '161.040', 'text': "hasn't been great in baseball. So,"}, {'start': '159.440', 'end': '162.800', 'text': 'surely just trying to bring that that'}, {'start': '161.040', 'end': '165.519', 'text': 'winning culture and create a standard of'}, {'start': '162.800', 'end': '168.720', 'text': 'winning. That winning culture is growing'}, {'start': '165.519', 'end': '170.959', 'text': 'as Penn State sits at 26 and 17 on the'}, {'start': '168.720', 'end': '173.360', 'text': 'year, which is their best season in more'}, {'start': '170.959', 'end': '176.879', 'text': 'than a decade. Reporting for WTAJ'}, {'start': '173.360', 'end': '176.879', 'text': "Sports, I'm Ryan Riskey."}]