Each year, approximately 40 players suit up for the Wayne State College baseball team. Of those who have worn the black and gold, 10 have been drafted by Major League Baseball teams.

One of those, southeast Nebraska native Nick Schumacher, made the journey from small-college pitcher to professional athlete.

As a standout player at Wayne State College, Shumacher developed a reputation for his strong arm, competitive mindset and ability to deliver in big moments.

Schumacher attended WSC where he played baseball from 2004 to 2008, earning a 30-9 record and earning All American honors as a senior in 2008 after a 13-2 season that also made him NSIC and Central Region Pitcher of the Year.

Playing under legendary coach John Manganaro, Schumacher was a part of WSC baseball teams that won 203 games and advanced to five NCAA Regional Tournaments in five seasons.

Schumacher was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 28th round of the 2008 MLB Draft. In three minor league seasons with Padres affiliates, mainly as a reliever, he posted a 14-9 record with a 3.46 ERA over 125 appearances, including 22 saves.

He also had a 6-0 record and 1.11 ERA in 2009 at High-A Fort Wayne, where he was a Midwest League All-Star and contributed to the team’s league championship. He also played for Spain in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

“I loved Wayne State,” Schumacher said. “Being from a small town in Nebraska City, going to Wayne was like a second home. Coach Manganaro to this day is still like another dad to me. I met some of my best friends at Wayne, and playing baseball there led me to my career in baseball and coaching.”

After a fast start to his college career, a professional career started to become a realistic possibility for Schumacher, but an injury nearly derailed those dreams.

“Going into my junior year I had scouts coming to my games, and talking to me afterwards, so I thought I was going to get drafted that year,” Schumacher said. “After getting injured and having Tommy John the scouts didn’t come back until my senior year, and I was still confident I would get drafted, but on draft day it felt like it took forever.”

After leading Wayne State to its fifth straight conference title, Schumacher quickly had to make the turn to minor league pitcher.

“The biggest difference was the talent level,” Schumacher said. “Every player in professional baseball was the best player at their college. Professional baseball was also more like a business atmosphere, and each player was an investment for that team. If they only gave you a small bonus, they were less likely to give you the opportunities they would give to the high draft picks.”

Schumacher has leveraged that success into coaching in the Omaha area. He now uses his experiences as a college and professional baseball player while mentoring young athletes.

“I think everyone who played professional will look back and say they could have worked a little harder or done this and that,” Schumacher said. “I would have loved to make it to the big leagues and play for 20 years, but the relationships and the experience I had was awesome, and I would not change that. Getting to play a game that I love in a new city each week with a bunch of guys that are like a family is one of the most rewarding jobs in my life. It also has led me to where I am now still coaching baseball and watching my son and daughters play sports and start their journeys.”