Nebraska baseball recruit Kurt Giller has declined a chance to enter professional baseball and will join the NU program this fall.
The right-handed pitcher from Manhattan, Kan., turned down a contract offer from the Toronto Blue Jays, who selected Giller in the 21st round of the MLB Draft in June.
“Their scout gave me a call on Monday and wanted to know what my thoughts were, and I told him I needed to go to college,” Giller said. “My parents and I discussed it and we decided college is definitely a better way to go.”
Giller said the Blue Jays organization offered him a six-figure contract and, had he signed, would have placed him in a rookie league in Florida immediately.
“It was definitely tempting,” he said. “That’s more money than most people will ever see, and what other job offers six figures out of high school?”
The 6-foot-2 pitcher can be drafted again following his junior season at NU, and said he would most likely accept a pro deal following that draft.
“I’m trying to get out in three,” Giller said. “Hopefully I’m good enough that I can get out after my junior season and finish my degree while I’m on the road.”
For now, he’ll play in three tournaments with the Midwest Wolverines, his summer league team in Wichita, Kan., before making the move to Lincoln. He’ll room with teammates Cody Asche and Nate Kerkhoff during the school year.
“I’m really excited to get up to Lincoln so I can get in the weight room and start pushing myself,” he said.
Compiled by Max Olson
Be the first to comment on this article!