Talented Jakson Reetz can stay in Nebraska or go with MLB Draft

Norris (Firth, Neb.) catcher Jakson Reetz made his presence known early in his high school baseball career, when in his first game as a freshman, he stepped up to the plate and jacked a home run, allowing his legend to grow.

The walk-off three-run shot in the bottom of the seventh inning elevated the Titans to a 6-3 win over Lincoln High and handed Norris coach Jason Cullison a four-year window in which he could breathe somewhat easy.

"I was just hoping he'd get a good swing so we could get runners on. We were looking to get something going offensively," Cullison recalled of Reetz's first-game heroics. "And he steps up to the plate and hits it out. He's definitely made my job easy for four years."

Building on that moment by absorbing as much baseball information as he can from baseball people from all around the country, hitting the weights and putting in countless hours of batting practice, Reetz is set to take his game to the next level at the University of Nebraska. That is, unless of course, a big payoff steals him away from Huskers coach Darin Erstad in the name of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft in June. Projected by some mock drafts as a late first-round pick, Reetz doesn't seem phased at all by the attention he is receiving.

"Right now I'm focused on my senior baseball season and doing something special with my teammates. I'm not too concerned with all of that right now," Reetz said of his positioning in the draft. "When that time comes, it will come.

"Every kid dreams of playing professionally, in the big leagues. That's definitely been a dream-slash-goal of mine. But right now I want to do what I can to get my team into the state championship game and to come away with a ‘W.' Then I'm planning on going to Nebraska and helping them get back into the College World Series. Coach Erstad was pretty good as a player and he is really good as a coach."

Reetz, a four-year starter for Cullison, has helped guide the Titans to the last two Nebraska Class B title games by swinging a larger-than-life bat, calling pitches for Norris hurlers and throwing out an enormous amount of would-be base stealers from behind the plate. He can do it all.

The Titans are off to an 8-0 start in 2014, in large part because of Reetz's team-leading .500 batting average and 14 runs scored. Swinging for the fences from both sides of the plate, Reetz has put together an all-state portfolio, which includes a .600 on-base percentage, a 1.091 slugging percentage and 12 runs batted in.

Reetz has stolen eight bases through games played on or before April 1, including a season-high five in a 17-5 win over Platte Valley. On the mound, Reetz has faced five batters in 1.1 innings of work and has not allowed an earned run. Reetz has been credited with one save this season.

Although it is rare in high school for a catcher to call his own pitches, Cullison has all the faith in the world in allowing Reetz to do so about half of the time.

"I'm so fortunate," Cullison said of coaching MaxPreps' No. 2-ranked catcher in the Class of 2014. "He has a great frame, he is a great athlete and his favorite sport just happens to be baseball."

Although it will be all baseball, baseball, baseball for Reetz from here on out, his favorite sport wasn't always the sole beneficiary of his time and abilities in high school. Reetz, a three-year starter at quarterback for the Titans, ran and passed Norris to the 2012 Class B title game before falling to Omaha Gross, 14-7. He earned all-state honors as a punter his senior year.

On the basketball court, Reetz started all over the court for four seasons, leading Norris to the state tournament as a freshman. Reetz and company carried Norris' banner to a fourth-place finish in 2011 after knocking off Boys Town 67-55 and falling to Gretna and Lincoln Pius X 68-41 and 72-63, respectively. He also earned all-state honors in basketball.

Norris has competed in the state baseball playoffs all three seasons Reetz has been enrolled at the southeast Nebraska school. The Titans lost 2-1 to Pius X in the 2012 title game before knocking off the Thunderbolts 3-2 in the 2013 championship contest.

In all, Reetz-led Norris teams have combined for a 149-68 record, and are 13-10 to date in the postseason.

"Two years ago we lost to Pius in the championship game. That was a heart-breaker," Reetz recalled. "We worked hard and we came back. Our whole goal last year was to get back to that game. We wanted to be in that top spot. We had no other motive. We just wanted to get back there and beat them this time.

"Now we want to get back to the championship game again and we want to get another ‘W.' We have kind of a long-standing rivalry with Pius and they are going to be very good again. I also think Omaha Skutt and Elkhorn have a shot at being there."

Reetz, who said he plays the game of baseball with a lot of energy, said that the Titans have three new starters in 2014. But with eight seniors and three juniors headlining the roster, there is plenty of experience to lead the Titans on another deep playoff run.

"One of the things we are preaching this year is brotherhood," Reetz said. "We have a good bond as a group. When we're in a tight game we have to be able to rely on each other. I believe I can call any pitch and that we can get out of anything. I am blessed to be a part of this staff. It's easy to catch this group."

Reetz is also making an impact away from athletics. He and his coach teamed up to start GameOn1125, a charitable organization that raises funds to help underprivileged kids get sports equipment. You can visit GameOn1125.org by clicking here.