Breton LaRose is set to enter his fifth season as Penn State Harrisburg baseball’s pitching coach in 2022-23. He recently took over the program’s role as recruiting coordinator as well.
LaRose oversees all pitching development for both the starters and the relief staff, as well as assisting head coach Ryan Bown with day-to-day baseball operations. He has contributed to much of the program’s recent success since his arrival, including three 30-win seasons in the past four years, as well as multiple major awards and all-conference honors for his pitchers.
Thanks to LaRose's tutelage during the most-recent campaign, Drew Harshbarger was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America First Team after a strong season on the mound and in the classroom, while fellow starter and United East Pitcher of the Year Zach Gettys was tabbed a first-team all-region selection by both the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings and D3baseball.com. Harshbarger also earned second-team all-region recognition from the ABCA. Gettys, Harshbarger, and reliever Tyler Stabley each picked up United East All-Conference First-Team honors following impressive seasons. As a group, Penn State Harrisburg's pitching staff ranked 11th in the nation in strikeouts per nine (10.0) in 2022.
In 2021, Harshbarger earned D3baseball.com All-Region Second-Team honors and ABCA/Rawlings Third-Team All-Region recognition after being named the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Pitcher of the Year. He was named to the NEAC All-Conference first team, while Gettys earned all-conference second-team accolades. Prior to the 2021 campaign, starting hurlers Michael De Leon and Gettys, along with top reliever Tyler Jackson were both named to the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s Division III Players to Watch List. Jackson earned the same distinction from CBN prior to the 2020 season.
Under LaRose’s guidance in 2019, starters Travis Van Houten and Gettys each received Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) All-Conference recognition, with Van Houten earning a spot on the all-conference first team and Gettys picking up a second-team all-conference accolade.
LaRose has logged experience as the pitching director for the Central Penn Renegades, where he oversees all pitching development from 11U to 18U programs. His responsibilities include heading up showcase camps for the Renegades and assisting players and prospective student-athletes with their upcoming recruiting process. He has also served as the pitching instructor at In the Net Sports Academy the past three years. He works with players on mechanics, pitch development, mental toughness, and strength training.
During his final years of collegiate play, LaRose was a standout reliever at Division II Lock Haven and eventually earned Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) First-Team All-Conference recognition. The program’s all-time leader in saves (18), he helped lead the Bald Eagles to the PSAC Tournament in 2017. Prior to transferring to LHU, he played at Division I Sacred Heart where he was a member of the 2015 Northeast Athletic Conference (NEC) Championship team. That group earned an NCAA Tournament berth and went on to the Texas Christian (TCU) Regional in Fort Worth, Texas that postseason.
Most recently as a player, LaRose was a member of the Kokomo Jackrabbits of the Propsect League for two seasons. In 2018, Kokomo finished as the league’s runner-up. Prior to joining the Jackrabbits, he was the closer for the Genesee Rapids of the NYCBL Summer League for two seasons. He was named a NYCBL All-Star in 2016 and earned the win on the mound in that season’s all-start game.
LaRose graduated from Ogdensburg Free Academcy in Ogdensburg, N.Y. in 2013.
