Nebraska baseball begins fall with sunny outlook

The last thing between the Nebraska baseball coach and a plane ride to Chicago was a small media session on the sun-splashed Haymarket Park concourse Wednesday afternoon. Then he was off to Big Ten coaches meetings, starting that evening with a Cubs game at Wrigley Field from the owner’s box courtesy of Big Ten commissioner — and former MLB executive — Tony Petitti.

Future league standards will be a popular topic, from new schedules in a 17-team format to transformative scholarship funding the NCAA will allow to increase to a full roster of 34 players beginning with the 2026 season.

Meanwhile, the immediate future for Nebraska is bright enough to lose a popup.

Bolt had the number ready: 26. As in, 26 returners back from the 40-win club that won the conference tournament in Omaha and reached the NCAA Tournament a year ago. Nearly 70% of last season’s innings back that led the Big Ten in earned-run average. Virtually the same percentage of last season’s at-bats back too.

“It wasn’t just like you had returning role players from a team that was average,” Bolt said. “You had returning players that were feature players from a championship team. That’s the difference there where you’re not just trying to bank on some of those guys making a big, big jump for the next year. You’ve got some guys who have already produced at this level.”

So when the Huskers say they plan to carry over momentum from the spring to fall ball, a host of familiar faces nod their heads. NU began workouts Monday with a three-inning scrimmage and added another Wednesday. A home exhibition against Wichita State is on the slate for Sept. 21 followed by the Red-White Series in mid-October.

Beyond drafted departures in catcher Josh Caron and Friday ace Brett Sears, Nebraska could roll out the same lineup and pitching rotation from the spring. Fall complacency gets harder, though, with arrival of 20 newcomers — 12 freshmen six junior-college players and two transfers — plus summer breakouts from a variety of returning underclassmen including outfielders Max Buettenback and Will Jesske and pitchers Tucker Timmerman and Tyner Horn.

NU previously under Bolt annually reset more than half its roster amid radical changes to the sport through the pandemic, the transfer portal and name-image-likeness payments. Name tags aren’t as necessary this fall.

“It’s crazy how many different leaderships we got on this team,” Buettenback said. “They keep you in check, they make sure you’re doing all the right stuff. We also just have great bonds with each other too.”

Returning Saturday starting pitcher Mason McConnaughey shook his head thinking of the experience suddenly filling the clubhouse. A year ago only a few Huskers had tasted the postseason or won a Big Ten crown. Now there are dozens.

“I really think it sets us up for success because we have guys that played in that big game,” McConnaughey said. “We have guys that understand it’s really hard to win at this level so you have to go out and earn it every day and work hard in everything you do.”

Bolt said there is “not much” clarity yet on how Nebraska can construct its roster beginning in 2025-26. He said he thinks the Big Ten won’t limit its members with a scholarship cap, instead leaving those decisions — with budgetary and Title IX implications — up to the individual schools. Also unclear is whether the incoming 34-man roster limit is flexible closer to the current limit of 40 with practice players.

Hopefully, he said, some answers are coming in the next month.

“Thirty-four is kind of this arbitrary number they threw out there,” Bolt said of allowable scholarship totals. “I would be very surprised if that’s approached in most places. You’re talking bottom line here, how expensive that is to do that. We’re in as good a situation as anybody at Nebraska financially. So we’ll see where it lands. I know we’ll be competitive.”

The Huskers avoided attrition through transfers and the draft to a degree Bolt called “pretty rare.” Senior Drew Christo — likely on his way to being a weekend starting pitcher — turned down a chance to sign as an undrafted free agent. Senior slugging outfielder Gabe Swansen also chose to return as did fifth-year pitcher Will Walsh and a slew of younger high performers.

“We feel like we’ve got a bunch of high-character guys that maybe aren’t looking for the next best thing,” Bolt said. “They think we’ve got something good here.”

NU saw reserve infielder Aaron Manias transfer to Purdue while infielder Dylan Hufft, two-way player Ian Regal and pitchers Bobby Olsen and Brooks Kneifl also left. None projected for key roles in 2025.

Big Red made two portal additions in catcher Hogan Helligso (Creighton) and outfielder Cael Frost (South Dakota State). Both seniors figure to be lineup regulars.

Buettenback enters the outfield conversation for Nebraska after spending his freshman year as a reserve catcher. The Lincoln Southeast grad hit nearly .400 in the Northwoods League this summer with nine home runs and 30 steals. Will Jesske is making the same switch after batting .320 in the Prospect League.

Case Sanderson — who played some outfield and designated hitter during a strong freshman campaign — is working primarily at first base.

“I think we have upgraded in some areas, potentially,” Bolt said. “It will play itself out as we get into the fall.”

The conversation to fill Nebraska’s vacated Friday starting pitcher spot begins with McConnaughey, Bolt said. The junior right-hander was among a handful of pitchers to spend the summer working out in Lincoln. Among other pitchers following individualized regimens were Jalen Worthley, Caleb Clark and Jackson Brockett.

Christo is another early Friday option, Bolt said, noting that Sears a year ago at this time wasn’t on NU’s radar for the prominent job.

Freshman pitchers flashed impressive velocity Monday, including Blake Encarnacion and J’Shawn Unger. A redshirt freshman right-hander with “plus-plus” stuff coming off a solid summer is 6-foot-7 Carson Jasa.

Sanderson named multiple frosh hitters turning in early results including infielders Devin Nunez, Adam Kayko and Kayden Anderson along with catcher Cooper Markle. Same with juco adds in infielder Jaron Cotton and outfielder Robby Bolin.

“We’ve got some guys; we’ve got some studs,” Sanderson said. “I’m excited for this year.”