Huskers Announce Baseball Recruiting Class

Lincoln ?Nebraska Baseball Coach Mike Anderson announced Tuesday that 13 student-athletes have signed National Letters-of-Intent to play baseball at Nebraska during the recently completed fall signing period.

The class includes nine high school seniors and four junior college transfers and comprises recruits from six states (Colorado, Kansas, Missouri Nebraska, Texas and Washington).
 
“I am excited about the class we have put together and the methods and energy from both our recruits and from Dave (Bingham) and Eric (Newman),” Anderson said. “They worked very hard to find young men that understood what we were looking for in Nebraska baseball.”

The class is highlighted by a trio of in-state performers in Jake Kuebler (Lincoln Southeast), Kash Kalkowski (Grand Island) and Nick Ludemann (LaVista and Creighton Prep). Both Kuebler and Kalkowski were both all-state performers who could be used as two-way players at Nebraska, while Ludemann is considered one of the state’s top high school pitching prospects.

“We really liked them and had targeted them early in the recruiting process. We are excited they selected Nebraska,” Anderson said. “We were very impressed with all three of their work habits and they all have the tools to enjoy success in this program during their college years.”

Anderson called this class as a whole “very athletic” but was more impressed with other key attributes of this group of student-athletes.

“The biggest thing besides the talent they possess is their character and leadership abilities,” Anderson said. “They are high-character kids and many of them have been leaders on their teams in high school or at the junior college level. They already have an understanding of what it takes to be successful at the next level.”

 

Nebraska Baseball Recruiting Class

Name	Yr.	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	B/T	Hometown (School)
Erik Anderson	JC	RHP	5-11	185	R/R	Prairie Village, Kan.
						(Barton County CC/Shawnee Mission East HS)
Cody Asche	HS	INF/OF	6-1	185	L/R	O’Fallon, Mo. (Ft. Zumwalt West HS)
Cory Burleson	HS	C/INF	6-2	195	S/R	Midland, Texas (Midland Christian HS)
Boomer Collins	HS	UTL	6-0	185	R/R	Waxahachie, Texas
Shane Dyer	JC	RHP	6-3	180	R/R	Eaton, Colo. (South Mountain (Ariz) CC/New Mexico/Eaton HS)
Seth Hood	HS	INF	6-1	200	R/R	Moline, Ill. (Moline HS)
Kale Kiser	HS	INF	5-10	175	S/R	Plano, Texas (West HS)
Jake Kuebler	HS	INF/RHP	6-5	195	R/R	Lincoln, Neb. (Southeast HS)
Nick Ludemann	HS	RHP	6-5	195	R/R	LaVista, Neb. (Creighton Prep HS)
Kash Kalkowski	HS	RHP/INF	6-1	195	R/R	Grand Island, Neb. (Grand Island HS)
Curtis Petersen	HS	RHP	6-4	180	R/R	Aubrey, Texas (Denton Ryan HS)
Colt Simon	JC	LHP	6-1	205	R/L	Grand Prairie, Texas (Howard College/South HS)
Cade Thompson	JC	1B/OF	6-3	200	L/L	Eatonville, Wash. (Central Arizona College/Eatonville HS)

Erik Anderson
Anderson is one of four junior college transfers in the recruiting class after pitching for Coach Mike Warren as a closer for Barton CC... Anderson went 3-2 with seven saves and a 2.17 ERA over a school-record 27 appearances in 2007...named second-team All-Jayhawk League West, as he fanned 76 and walked 19 over 49.2 innings...ranked ninth nationally among junior college pitchers in saves and held foes to a .191 average...earned first-team all-county honors as a senior at Shawnee Mission East, posting a 1.13 ERA while allowing nine earned runs in 55 innings, striking out 76 and walking 23...won 14 games during his three-year varsity career, leading his team to back-to-back state playoff appearances...Looked at Arizona, Mississippi and Missouri before choosing Nebraska.

“The thing that sets Erik apart is his competitiveness and his mental toughness. He is someone who knows the game and is not afraid to put the work in to improve. He has that closer’s mentality and has shown the ability to pitch in those situations in junior college. He is a little undersized, but has a plus breaking ball and throws in the upper 80s.”

Cody Asche (pronounced ash-ee)
Asche is one of the top high school players in Missouri playing for Coach Mike Rimmer at Fort Zumwalt West High School in O’Fallon, Mo....was a second-team all-state honoree as in infielder by the state coaches association in 2007, hitting .424 with three homers, three triples, nine doubles, 24 RBIs and 25 runs scored...named third-team all-metro by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and was a first-team All-Gateway Athletic Conference pick as a junior...rated among the top high school prospects for the 2008 draft in Missouri by Perfect Game USA...has also earned academic all-conference laurels the past two seasons...played for the St. Louis Pirates for Head Coach Rick Strickland over the summer...Looked at Missouri, Kansas State, Creighton and Evansville before picking Nebraska.

“Cody is a player with a lot of offensive potential at the college level. He has shown the ability to hit for power from the left side at a young age and has a frame that he will continue grow into as he reaches the college ranks. He brings a lot of experience and comes from a very strong select team out of St. Louis, which will help his transition to the college game. Both his parents are from Nebraska, so he has been a Husker fan all his life.”

Cory Burleson
Burleson comes to Nebraska from Midland, Texas, where he plays for Coach Dale Redman at Midland Christian...named all-district in each of his first three seasons and was an all-state performer as a junior, batting .396 with a .550 on-base percentage in helping his team to a district title and a state semifinal appearance last spring...rated among the top high school prospects for the 2008 draft in Texas by Perfect Game USA...carries a 4.24 GPA on a 4.00 scale and is fourth in his graduating class...started three seasons at quarterback in high school, earning all-district honors in each of his last two seasons, highlighted by a school-record 2,529 passing yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior...looked at Arkansas and Alabama before choosing Nebraska.

“Cory is a switch-hitting catcher who has all of the intangibles you are looking for at that position. He is a great athlete who was the starting quarterback on his high school team for two years and has those leadership qualities you are looking for behind the plate. Defensively, he caught a first-round pick (Chris Withrow) and has shown the ability to handle a pitching staff. Offensively, he has good size and has the tools to progress throughout his college career.”

Boomer Collins
One of five Texas natives in this year’s recruiting class, Collins hails from Waxahachie High School where he plays for Tracy Wood...is a three-year starter on the diamond as an outfielder, earning first-team all-district accolades all three campaigns...chosen as the district newcomer of the year in 2005 and the sophomore of the year in 2006...participated in the 2007 Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif.... helped his DBAT Team to the 2006 AABC Mickey Mantle World Series title...rated among the top high school prospects for the 2008 draft in Texas by Perfect Game USA...multi-sport athlete who also plays football (quarterback and safety) and basketball... Named District MVP as a junior and threw for 1,389 yards and 15 touchdowns as senior...looked at Arkansas, Texas Tech, Rice and Richmond.

“Boomer is a very fundamentally sound player who brings a number of things to our program. At the plate, he has a great hitter’s mentality and has shown the ability to hit the ball to all fields. He is very athletic and has shown the versatility to play a number of positions (C, 2B, 3B, OF) at a high level. Boomer has a great background and that shows in his approach to both athletics and academics.”

Shane Dyer
One of four junior college transfers in the recruiting class, Dyer comes from South Mountain Community College in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he played for Coach Todd Easton...spent the 2007 season at the University of New Mexico, where he compiled a 2-2 record and a 4.28 ERA in 30 innings of work as a true freshman...best performance at UNM came against No. 20 TCU where he allowed one hit in five shutout innings... rated among the top junior college prospects for the 2008 draft in Arizona by Perfect Game USA...pitched for the Eau Claire Express in the Northwoods League last summer, going 4-4 with a 3.35 ERA in 80.2 innings...garnered first-team, All-Colorado honors in each of his final two years at Eaton (Colo.) High School pitching for Jim Danley...compiled a 27-3 mark in high school and was a 24th-round selection by the Colorado Rockies in the 2006 MLB Draft...chose NU over Arizona and Oral Roberts.

“Shane is a pitcher we have followed for a while and has really developed over the last year. He had a good freshman year at New Mexico and played with Bryce (Nimmo) for Eau Claire in the Northwoods League, helping them to the title series. He has a very legitimate chance to be one of the top pitchers in our weekend rotation next year. Shane has good velocity and mixes in a plus breaking ball.”

Seth Hood
Hood comes to Nebraska from Moline, Ill., where he plays at Moline Senior High School for Coach Derek Lindauer...is a two-time all-area selection on the diamond and was selected MVP of his American Legion team in 2006...is a multi-sport athlete who also is an all-metro football player...excels in the classroom, where he earned academic all-state honors in 2006-07...looked at Michigan, Iowa, Notre Dame and Missouri State before selecting Nebraska.

“Seth is a tremendous athlete who was recruited by several Big Ten schools in football, but decided that baseball was his future. He is a very physical player who has all of the tools that you are looking for at the college level. He brings a lot of raw potential to our program that we will look to develop. He probably is the best all-around athlete in our recruiting class.”

Kale Kiser
Kiser comes to Nebraska from Plano West High School where he plays for Coach Kendal Clark...chosen as a first-team 95-A District pick and honorable-mention all-state performer as a junior, when he hit .452 with 40 runs scored, 19 stolen bases and 17 RBIs, while also totaling seven doubles, four triples and a homer...Led his DBAT summer team with a .397 average with 45 runs scored in 2007... rated among the top high school prospects for the 2008 draft in Texas by Perfect Game USA...helped his DBAT Team to the 2006 AABC Mickey Mantle World Series title....selected NU over Texas A&M, Kansas State, TCU and Oklahoma.

“Kale is a pure baseball player. He is a tough, hard-nosed kid who can hit from both sides of the plate. He handles the bat well and has surprising power for his size. Kale comes from a strong summer program where he played with Boomer (Collins) and has played at a high level, so he’s not afraid of competition.”

Kash Kalkowski (pronounced Kal-cow-ski)
Kalkowski is one of the state’s top two-way performers playing for Coach Rick Kissick at Grand Island High School...named honorary captain of the Lincoln Journal Star’s all-state team in 2007 after going 6-2 with a 0.81 ERA, as he struck out 56 in 43 innings of work...played shortstop when he was not on the mound and led the state with a .506 batting average with five homers, 34 RBIs, 31 runs scored and 11 stolen bases in leading GIHS to a 22-5 record and a state tournament appearance as a junior...rated the No. 2 high school prospect for the 2008 draft in Nebraska by Perfect Game USA...dominated during the American Legion season going 10-1 with a 1.85 ERA, while hitting .413 with 72 RBIs, 53 runs scored and 14 stolen bases...collected first-team All-Nebraska honors as a sophomore, hitting .405 with 25 RBIs, while also winning five games and posting a 0.53 ERA...also played basketball for the Islanders the past three years, averaging 5.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game during his junior year.

“Kash has been one of the state’s dominant players over the last two seasons. He’s a two-way guy who can pitch and potentially play in the infield for us. He has above average stuff and is a competitor every time he takes the field. He could start or come out of the bullpen and has a great makeup on the mound.”

Jake Kuebler (pronounced coo-bler)
One of three in-state products in this recruiting class, Kuebler plays baseball for Coach Randy Brohlorst at Lincoln Southeast...has been a three-year starter for the Knights, earning all-city honors in each of the last two seasons...was a Second-Team Super-State selection by the Lincoln Journal Star in 2007, hitting .429 with three homers and 25 RBIs...also posted a 1.52 ERA while striking out 29 over 27.2 innings of work...is the cousin of former National Player of the Year and current KC Royal Alex Gordon.

“Jake is probably one of the most intriguing guys in this class. He has a very high ceiling and the more you see him, the more you appreciate the things he does on the diamond. At 6-4, 195, he is starting to fill out a frame that could easily add 15-20 more pounds without losing any of the athleticism he possesses. He is a natural athlete who has a plus arm that reaches the low 90s. He projects as both a pitcher and a corner infielder who could hit with power.”

Nick Ludemann
Ludemann is one of the state’s top high school pitchers playing for Coach Pat Mooney at Creighton Prep...is a two-year letterwinner on the diamond, who helped the Junior Jays reach the state tournament in each of the past two seasons...rated the top high school senior in the state by Perfect Game USA...started on PI Midwest’s Legion title team in 2007 and runner-up squad in 2006, earning the team’s lone win in the 2006 regional with a complete-game four hitter...was invited to the Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif., and earned an invitation to try out with the U.S. Junior National Team in 2007...won four games and ranked among the state leaders in strikeouts as a sophomore...looked at Kansas State, Kansas, Northern Colorado and South Dakota State before selecting to become a Husker.

“Nick is a big, physical kid with a very high ceiling. He has the prototypical frame that he will continue to grow into as he develops in our program. He was one of the best pitchers in the state entering his junior year and led Creighton Prep’s American Legion team in innings and ERA as part of a staff that got to the regional tournament. We are anxious to have him in our program and watch his progression to college baseball.”
 
Curtis Petersen
Petersen is one of the top pitchers in the Dallas metro area playing for Coach Bret Warnack at Denton Ryan High School...named the District 5-4A Pitcher of the Year in 2007, going 9-1 with a 1.52 ERA in leading RHS to a district title and a regional quarterfinals appearance...led the Dallas-Fort Worth area in wins and recorded 56 strikeouts en route to picking up all-state accolades...earned the win in the gold medal contest 2007 USA Baseball Tournament of Stars, allowing one run on three hits over five innings while striking out six... rated the No. 24 high school prospect for the 2008 draft in Texas by Perfect Game USA...chosen as an alternate for the USA Junior National Team in 2007...looked at Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas State and BYU among others before selecting the Huskers.

“Curtis has everything you are looking for as a prototypical weekend starter at the college level. He has a power arm, a very clean delivery and has shown the ability to throw four pitches for strikes. He is very projectable and is someone who could be in a weekend rotation as a freshman and develop into a No. 1 starter. He also has the intangibles you look for.  He is a hard worker and good student as well a very good athlete for his size.”
 
Colt Simon
Simon comes to Nebraska from Howard College where he pitches for Coach Britt Smith...spent his freshman campaign at UT-Arlington, going 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in five appearances...prepped at Grand Prairie South High School, where he compiled a 7-1 record and a 0.77 ERA as a senior, fanning 81 over 58 innings of work...shared the District 6-5A Pitcher of the Year with 2007 first-round MLB Draft pick Blake Beavan and was named to the Arlington Area Super Team...also hit .375 with six doubles, one triple, two home runs and 15 RBIs....garnered second-team all-district accolades as a pitcher after his junior season...looked at Oklahoma and Louisiana-Lafayette before choosing Nebraska.

“Colt is a pitcher with a tremendous upside. He is a left-hander who consistently throws in the mid-to-upper 80s with a plus breaking ball. He has experience at the Division I level and is coming from a very good junior college program in Texas where he will be their No. 1 starter. We think he is someone who could come in and add experience to our rotation next season.”

Cade Thompson
Thompson comes to Nebraska from Central Arizona College where he plays for Coach Jon Wente...helped Central Arizona College to a 43-21 record and a district runner-up finish in 2007, finishing two wins shy of the NJCAA World Series...led the squad with a .356 average and 31 RBIs, while scoring 43 runs en route to earning NJCAA All-Region 1 and all-conference honors...was selected to the Arizona Sophomore All-Star game in 2007....played three seasons at Eatonville (Wash.) High School for Coach Mike Moeller, earning all-state, all-class accolades as a senior....chosen for the Perfect Game World Wood Bat Champion All-Star Game in 2005.

“Cade fills a number of important needs for us, as he gives us a very good left-handed bat and is an outstanding defensive first baseman. He is highly skilled defensively and could come in here and step in for us at that position next season. He comes from an outstanding junior college program that has produced a number of college players. He has shown the ability to hit exceptionally well at that level with a wood bat, and we think that will translate well for us next season.”