Nebraska baseball: Huskers hang onto signee despite being drafted

Omaha, NE - JUNE 28: A general view of NCAA baseballs prior to game two of the College World Series Championship Series between the Arizona Wildcats and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on June 28, 2016 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Omaha, NE - JUNE 28: A general view of NCAA baseballs prior to game two of the College World Series Championship Series between the Arizona Wildcats and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on June 28, 2016 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

The Nebraska baseball team saw one of its top prospects in Spencer Schwellebach get taken in the 2018 MLB draft but he’s announced he’ll be going to college instead.

While this week has been all about good news for the Nebraska football team, it turns out the Nebraska baseball team got a little as well. One of the top incoming signees for the Huskers announced on Thursday night he’s still coming to Lincoln despite being taken in the 2018 MLB Draft.

Spencer Schwellenbach isn’t just one of the best gets of the last recruiting cycle for head coach Darin Erstad. Schwellenbach was one of the best high school prospects in the country.

The shortstop and pitcher was the state of Michigan’s Gatorade player of the year. He was good enough to get taken in the 34th round by the Cleveland Indians.

The fact that he wasn’t taken until the 34th round was also enough to convince him to come play college ball instead of going pro just yet.

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That announcement takes a bit of sting out of losing Jesse Wilkening. The slugging catcher was taken in the 14th round by Philadelphia.

Shortly after he was taken, the now former Husker announced he will be signing a contract with the Phillies and ending his college playing days. You can hardly blame Wilkening for taking the contract, but it does leave a huge hole in the middle of the lineup.

The Cornhuskers did just add a JUCO bat who will be immediately eligible next season. It’s a safe bet Erstad and company were hoping he’d be an addition to Wilkening and the rest of the crew instead of a planned replacement on offense.

For his part, Schwellenbach says the Indians even knew drafting him that late was a guarantee they wouldn’t and couldn’t sign him. “They called me and said that they’d been following me and that I had a great year,” he told MLive.com. “They just wanted to give me that acknowledgment that I had a great year.”

Schwellenbach’s future looks to be on the mound rather than at the plate, though he’s plenty competent there as well. The Michigan native had 79 Ks in 49 innings and posted a 0.43 earned run average his senior year of high school.

The Nebraska baseball signee has a fastball that sits in the mid 90’s and can reach 95 when he really wants to bring it.