Wayne State College head baseball coach Alex Koch has announced the Wildcat fall signing class for the 2021-22 season, adding seven players that includes four pitchers, two catchers and one outfielder. The list of recruits includes Josh Kilzer of Omaha, Jacob Kneifl from Wayne, Camden Madsen of Bellevue, Keagan McLaughlin from Gretna, Riley Miller of Cannon Falls, Minnesota Tyler Obrecht from Omaha and Jackson Shelburne of Gretna.
Josh Kilzer is a 6-2, 170 pound right-handed pitcher from Ralston High School where he is a two-year starter in baseball and basketball. Kilzer earned Lincoln Journal Star and NCPA Academic All-State honors in baseball and basketball and was an NCPA (Nebraska Chiropractic Physicians Association) Academic All-State choice in basketball.
“Josh fills up the strike zone and has three quality pitches with a fastball getting into the upper 80s,” commented Coach Koch. “Josh will have an opportunity to get quality innings in for us next season.”
Jacob Kneifl, a 6-2, 180 pound left-handed pitcher from Wayne High School, is a three year starter in baseball and also lettered in basketball for the Blue Devils. He is a Class B All-State honorable mention selection as a freshman and sophomore and ranked seventh in Class B in strikeouts as a sophomore (42) and fifth as a freshman with 43. (Junior season canceled due to COVID-19). Kneifl helped Wayne with the 2018 Class B Junior Legion State title in the summer and has posted an impressive 17-0 record with a .0708 ERA the last two summers for Wayne Legion Post 43. He also excels in the classroom earning Academic All-State accolades in baseball.
“Jacob is a great kid who has grown up around Wayne State baseball,” said Koch. “Hes a tall, lanky lefty with a fastball in the mid 80s. Jacob has a lot of room to grow and will compete for innings as a freshman.”
Camden Madsen is a 5-8, 155 pound outfielder at Bellevue West High School where he has started three years in baseball. Madsen plays travel ball with the Nebraska Prospects and hit .438 with 28 hits and 15 stolen bases as a junior. Last summer, he posted a .329 average with 12 stolen bases and helped his team to a 26-8 record. Camden will join older brother Brendan on the Wildcat baseball team.
“Cam is a complete centerfielder,” boasted Coach Koch. “Hes solid defensively, has great speed, a great arm and a good bat. Cam will be able to steal a lot of bases for us and do some damage at the top of the lineup.”
Keagan McLaughlin is a 6-1, 180 pound catcher from Gretna High School where he is a two year starter.
“Keagan is solid behind the plate and brings a good bat to the program as well,” said Koch. “He is a good ball player and we look for Keagan to contribute as a freshman behind the plate.”
Riley Miller is a 6-1, 190 pound left-handed pitcher from Cannon Falls High School in Minnesota where he is a four-year starter in baseball and two-year starter in football. Rileys junior season (2019-20) was canceled due to COVID-19 but as a sophomore earned All-Hiawatha Valley League and All-Section honors after striking out 50 batters with a 1.47 ERA and was named Most Valuable Player on the team. In football, Miller is a two-time team captain and named Defensive Player of the Year.
“Riley has a quality arm coming from Minnesota,” stated Koch. “He has a fastball thats in the mid 80s and a great change-up. Riley will have a chance to pitch for us as a freshman.”
Tyler Obrecht is a 6-0, 180 pound catcher from Millard North High School and joins older brother Ryan who is a pitcher for the Wildcats. He plays travel ball with the Nebraska Prospects team.
“Tyler is a great defensive catcher,” boasted Coach Koch. “He has a good in-game pop time and has a lot of room to grow and get stronger. Tyler will have a good opportunity to get some innings as a freshman in 2022.”
Jackson Shelburne is a 6-5, 220 pound right-handed pitcher from Gretna High School where he played baseball, football and basketball.
“Jackson is 6-5 and has a fastball in the upper 80s,” said Koch. “Look for Jackson to compete for a spot in our rotation as a freshman.”
Wayne State College is an NCAA Division II school located in Wayne, Nebraska and competes in the 16-team Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The Wildcats were 8-7 in non-conference play last spring when the remainder of the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19.
