Huskers Receive Top Ranking in Program History

Lincoln – Baseball America recently ranked Nebraska’s latest recruiting class No. 11 in the nation, the highest ranking for the Huskers in school history.

The 2013 class is the first full recruiting class under Head Coach Darin Erstad, Associate Head Coach Will Bolt and Recruiting Coordinator/Pitching Coach Ted Silva.

When Erstad, a former World Series champion and three-time Gold Glove winner, took over the team prior to the 2012 season, he was able to draw Silva, the winning pitcher on Cal State Fullerton’s 1995 national championship team, away from California to lead the Huskers’ recruiting efforts.

"I can’t say enough about the work Coach Silva has done for us in recruiting," Erstad said. "His dedication to bringing the top student-athletes to play baseball at Nebraska is tremendous. He spends a lot of time on the road and is always working to make us a better baseball team. I’m very grateful to have him here at Nebraska."

The Huskers were the only Big Ten team on the list, while Florida took the top spot, followed by Texas and South Carolina.

The Huskers' 13-member recruiting class that signed in November 2012 included a talented group of 12 prep players and one junior-college transfer. The Huskers also added a trio of junior-college transfers during the spring.

The class hailed from nine different states, mostly throughout the Midwest, including a group-high four players from Minnesota. Nebraska also signed a pair of standouts from Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado, while adding one Husker each from Illinois, Indiana, California and South Dakota.

The class contained nine players that were ranked in the top-1,000 by Perfect Game, including a six top-500 prospects and one top-20 player in Red Wing, Minn., native Ryan Boldt, who is the top position player in Baseball American’s top 500 to attend college this fall. 10 of the prep standouts were regarded as top-20 players in their state, including five who are tabbed as a top-five prospects.

Both Boldt and Muscatine, Iowa, standout Derek Burkamper were drafted during the 2013 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox, but both turned down professional baseball to instead wear the scarlet and cream at Hawks Field.

Ryan Boldt (Red Wing, Minn. | Red Wing HS)
Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 22nd round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of Red Wing High School in Red Wing, Minn., but decided to join the Nebraska baseball program instead • Ranked as the No. 15 overall recruit and the No. 3 outfielder in the nation by Perfect Game USA • Was named the MVP of the 2012 Perfect Game All-American Classic at PETCO Park in San Diego, Calif., after going 2-for-3 with a triple to lead the West squad to a 7-6 win • Earned a spot on the Team USA's Under-18 squad in August 2012 and was coached by former Major Leaguer and three-time World Series champion Scott Brosius • Was the first Minnesota product to earn a spot on the team since current Minnesota Twins' catcher Joe Mauer was selected in 2000 • Competed with Team USA at the XXV IBAF Under-18 Baseball World Championships in Seoul, Korea, helping Team USA win its first world championship at the under-18 level since 1999 with a 6-2 win over Canada in the championship game • Led all players at the 12-team event with a tournament-record 12 stolen bases and added a tournament-high 11 runs • He was the only player in the tournament to hit double figures in either category • Also set a single-game tournament record with five stolen bases in a 11-1 win over Columbia.

Derek Burkamper (Muscatine, Iowa | Muscatine HS) 
Drafted in the 20th round of the 2013 MLB Draft, but turned down professional baseball to become a Husker • Tabbed as the 121st national recruit and the 32nd-best right-handed prep pitcher in the country by Perfect Game • Posted an 11-2 record in 2013 with a 0.99 ERA over 77.2 innings of work • Notched 130 strikeouts to just 15 walks • Was a first-team All-Central Region pick by Rawlings/Perfect Game and was selected as the Mississippi Athletic Conference Player of the Year • Was named to the 2012 WWBA Kernels Foundation Championship all-tournament team after throwing three no-hit innings with five strikeouts • Opened the 2012 Iowa 4A sub-state playoffs with an 11-strikeout performance against Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

Christian Cox (Aberdeen, S.D., | Hutchinson CC/Aberdeen Roncalli HS) 
Joined the Huskers after playing two seasons at Hutchinson CC • Played 32 games, including 30 starts, as a position player in 2013, while also starting nine games on the mound over 10 appearances • Hit .306 and ranked second on the team with 31 runs scored • Produced four doubles, one triple and two home runs to go along with 14 RBIs • Posted a .489 on-base percentage, as he was walked 25 times and hit-by-pitch 10 times to 23 strikeouts • Was named NJCAA National Player of the Week after hitting .647 (11-for-17) in four games and tossing a four-hit shutout in an 11-0 five-inning victory over Butler on Sunday, April 21, 2012 • Attended high school at Aberdeen Roncalli High School in Aberdeen, S.D. • Posted a .696 batting average at the 2010 South Dakota American Legion Class A State Tournament to lead his team to a third place finish and individually Cox earned the tournament's Big Stick Award as the player at the tournament with the highest batting average • Was the highest average in the award's history that started in 1994

Wes Edrington (Fishers, Ind. | Hamilton Southeastern HS)
Part of the 2013 signing class, but enrolled at Nebraska in January to join the Huskers for the 2013 season • Posted a .402 average with 13 home runs, 68 RBIs and 44 stolen bases in three varsity seasons • Ranked as the No. 375 overall recruit in the country by Perfect Game • Ranked as No. 6 overall recruit in the state of Indiana • Named a second-team Underclass All-American prior to his junior season in 2012 • Played summer ball for the Indiana Bulls, who competed at the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla. • One of 10 position players in the Indiana to be named all-state by ESPNHS • Played at both the 2011 and 2012 Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif.

Beau Fandel (Forest Lake, Minn. | Forest Lake HS)
Ranked as a top-1,000 national recruit and the No. 9 player in the state of Minnesota, as well as the top catcher in the state, by Perfect Game • Dynamic player who can play anywhere on the field, including catcher • Played at Forest Lake High School in Forest Lake, Minn., where he was a two-time first-team all-state pick by the Pioneer Press • Was one of seven finalist for the 2013 Play Ball! Mr. Baseball Award • Started 107 games in his four-year career • Finished with a .409 batting average, helping Forest Lake to three state tournament appearances and two conference titles • Was a 2012 honorable-mention Underclass All-America selection • Competed at the 2012 Perfect Game WWBA Kernels Foundation Championship and the 2012 Perfect Game/EvoShield National Championship for the MN Starz Mizuno.

Grant Gamble (Fort Collins, Colo. | Rocky Mountain HS) 
Joined the Huskers from Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins, Colo., the same high school that produced former Husker infielder Bryan Peters • Ranked as a top-1,000 recruit by Perfect Game and the 15th-best player in the state of Colorado, including the second-best left-handed pitcher in the state • Helped the Lobos to a top-100 national finish in 2013 with a 5-1 record • Posted 55 strikeouts in 36 innings of work during the prep season to earn second-team all-state honors and second-team All-West Region accolades from Rawlings • Played for the Utah Marshalls during the summer of 2013 • Notched 75 strikeouts in 40 innings • 2012 Perfect Game/EvoShield National Championships in Phoenix, Ariz., and the 2012 Perfect Game WWBA Under-18 National Championships in Marietta, Ga.

Bob Greco (Papillion, Neb. | Bellevue University/Papillion-La Vista South HS) 
Transferred to Nebraska after spending four seasons at Bellevue University • Was a first-team All-MCAC pick in 2012 as a sophomore after posting a 7-1 record with five saves and a 2.01 ERA • Recorded 58 strikeouts in 44.2 innings of work over 22 appearances • Earned his second-straight first-team All-MCAC honor in 2013 • Threw a team-high 92.2 innings as a junior, going 8-4 with a 2.33 ERA in 11 starts • Struck out 93 and walked just 12, while also giving up only one home run • Originally from Papillion, Neb., where he played at Papillion-La Vista South High School • Notched a 6-1 record with 34 strikeouts over 36.0 innings as a senior in 2009 • Earned honorable mention all-state honors from the Omaha World-Herald.

Michael Klein (Highlands Ranch, Colo. | Mountain Vista HS)
Versatile  6-2 right hander who could help NU on the mound or at the plate • Worked a perfect senior season on the mound, posting a 8-0 record over 49.6 innings of work with 36 strikeouts • Also performed well at the plate with a .420 batting average • Notched five home runs, 31 runs scored and 24 RBIs • Tabbed as the No. 11 player in the state of Colorado and the fifth-best right-handed pitcher in the state by Perfect Game • Was a 2011 and 2012 honorable-mention Underclass All-America selection • Was named one of the top-20 prospects at the 73-team 2012 Coach Bob Invitational in Phoenix, Ariz.

Max Knutson (Arden Hills, Minn. | Mounds View HS)
A 6-2 lefty from Arden Hills, Minn., Knutson was ranked as the third-best overall recruit and the No. 1 left-handed pitcher in the state of Minnesota by Perfect Game • Named 2013 Pioneer Press Player of the Year and StarTribune Co-Player of the Year • Finalist for the 2013 Minnesota Play Ball! Mr. Baseball Award and Gatorade Player of the Year • Led the Mustangs to their first-ever state title in 2013 with an 8-0 win over Rocori • Threw a complete-game shutout in the AAA state title game at Target Field, giving up just four hits and striking out nine • Posted a 6-1 record in 2013 with a 0.68 ERA • Notched 76 strikeouts in 62 innings of work, while also producing a .310 batting average •Versatile athlete who was an all-conference selection in football and a two-time letterwinner in hockey.

Matt Leuty (Shoreview, Minn. | Totino-Grace HS) 
Tabbed as a top-100 third-base recruit in the country by Perfect Game and the No. 10 overall player in the state of Minnesota • Athletic player who is capable of playing multiple positions on the field • Earned honorable-mention All-Central Region honors from Rawlings in 2013 • Led Totino-Grace to the 2013 North Suburban Conference championship • Helped the Eagles to a 16-8-1 record in 2012 and an appearance at the Class AAA state tournament • Competed at multiple national tournaments, including two WWBA Kernels Foundation Championships and the Perfect Game/EvoShield National Championships for the MN Starz Mizuno.

Quinn McGill (Wahoo, Neb. | Wahoo HS)
First player from Wahoo, Neb., to join the Huskers since Matt Wagner was a freshman on NU's 2005 College World Series team • Hit .472 as a senior with seven doubles, five triples and a state-high 28 stolen bases • No other player in the state stole more than 18 bases • Struck out just three times during his senior season • Was a career .470 hitter with 15 doubles and 55 stolen bases • One of 18 players in the state named to the 2013 Lincoln Journal Star Super-State team • All-Nebraska pick by the Omaha-World Herald in 2013 • Played American Legion baseball for Wahoo State Bank • Hit .438 with seven home runs, 35 RBIs, 29 runs scored and 54 stolen bases in 2012 • Along with excelling on the diamond, earned three letters in basketball and one in football.

Ben Miller (Clive, Iowa | West Des Moines Valley HS)
A 6-3 lefty who could pitch or be a position player for Nebraska • Played at West Des Moines Valley High School in Clive, Iowa, where he was named the 2013 Class 4A Player of the Year • Was a first-team Class 4A All-State pick by both the Iowa Newspaper Association and the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association as a senior • Tabbed as a top-50 left-handed pitcher in the county and the No. 4 overall recruit in the state of Iowa by Perfect Game • Was 6-2 on the mound in 2013 with a 1.81 ERA and 35 strikeouts • Allowed just 14 earned runs in 54 innings and only nine walks • Was among the state leaders offensively in batting average (.495), hits (47), doubles (11), walks (32) and RBIs (42) • Was invited to the 2012 National Showcase at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn.

Bryce Only (Algonquin, Ill. | Huntley HS)
2013 first-team All-Central Region selection by Rawlings • Tabbed as the No. 342 overall recruit and the No. 19 third baseman in the country by Perfect Game • Ranked as the fifth-best recruit in the state of Illinois • Was an all-state selection in Class 4A by the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association in 2013 after hitting .362 with six home runs and 30 RBIs • Led Huntley to the state tournament in 2013, where they lost in the second round of the 16-team bracket to St. Charles, who went on to take third place • Earned second-team Underclass All-America honors prior to the start of the 2012 season and was an honorable-mention pick in 2011 • Competed at the 2013 Perfect Game WWBA National Championships in Marietta, Ga. • Played for the Reds Midwest Scout team at the 2012 WWBA World Championships in Jupiter, Fla. • Named to the 2012 WWBA Kernels Foundation Championship all-tournament team • Letterwinner in both baseball and basketball at Huntley.

Steven Reveles (Goleta, Calif. | Santa Barbara CC/Dos Pueblos HS) 
Transferred to Nebraska after playing two seasons at Santa Barbara City College, where he was named an All-American in 2013 • Named the Western State Conference North Player of the Year after hitting .305 and leading the league in stolen bases with 30 • Struck out just 11 times in 154 at bats • Led all players during league play with a .372 average • Led the team to the Southern Cal Regional playoffs for the third-straight year • First time that has happened in school history • Led the team with a .340 batting average as a freshman, while producing 51 hits, 27 runs and 13 stolen bases • Helped the Vaqueros win their second-straight WSC North title in 2012 • Played prep ball for Dos Pueblos High School under Coach Nate Mendoza • Was a four-time letterwinner and a two-time first-team All-Channel League selection.

Chance Sinclair (Spring Hill, Kan. | Neosho County CC/Osawatomie HS) 
Transferred to Nebraska after spending two seasons at Neosho County Community College, where he was the Panthers' 2012-2013 Male Student Athlete of the Year • Set or tied multiple school records during his two years at Neosho County • Recorded a 10-2 record during the 2013 season with a 1.56 ERA • 10 wins tied him for the school's single-season record • Combined with his eight wins as a freshman in 2012, he also tied the school's career record for wins with 18 • Holds the school record for career ERA at 1.49 • Ranks third all-time on the single-season charts with 93.2 innings pitched in 2013 • Threw a complete game four-hitter in the opening game of the 2013 JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colo. • Allowed one run and struck out five in the 2-1 victory over Cochise College from Douglas, Ariz. • Was a two-time KJCCC All-Conference team selection • Product of Osawatomie High School • Was named Class 4A Pitcher of the Year by the Kansas Baseball Coaches Association as a senior in 2011.

Jake Wimer (Overland Park, Kan. | Blue Valley Northwest HS)
Joined the Huskers from Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kan., where he was coached by Corby Lange • Posted a 2.90 ERA in 2013 with 40 strikeouts • 6-2 lefty was limited during his junior season due to injury • Was the closer on the Huskies' varsity team as a sophomore • Selected to play on the 2012 Royals Elite Scout team • Was a 2011 All-East Kansas League honorable-mention selection as a sophomore • Played summer ball for the Kansas City Sport Club Blaze • Threw a no-hitter and a one-hitter in 2012.