Nabholz's leadership, production gives Millersville baseball just what it needed
4/6/2017 1:33:00 PM | Baseball, Features
Millersville, Pa. - MLB Draft Day, 2016: Scouts from the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers place calls to Brandon Miller and Reid Anderson. Both are juniors on the Millersville baseball team. Both sign professional contracts. One day later, Millersville Jim McDade signs a contract with San Diego Padres. Three Millersville pitchers who combined for a 32-3 record are gone, tearing a gaping hole in the talent and leadership of the Marauders' starting rotation.
One month later, Eli Nabholz, a right-handed pitcher from Pottsville, Pa., is looking for a new school. He made 11 appearances as a freshman at Penn State but is looking to transfer. As a high school senior, Nabholz had his choice of schools and his final decision was between Alabama and Penn State. But in the summer of 2016, Millersville has a need, and Nabholz, a 6-6, 235-pound right-hander with four pitches, could fill it.
"Our leadership was zapped," said Millersville head coach Jon Shehan. "We lost all kinds of leadership with Miller and McDade, and Anderson would have been a leader this year. It's really, really hard to lose three guys to professional baseball and turn around and have success on the mound again."
Nabholz first met Shehan as a sophomore in high school. His sister has dated Millersville assistant coach David Baker since high school, but the staff didn't chase Nabholz in recruiting because Shehan knew Millersville had no chance of landing the prized pitcher.
"He was out of our range," said Shehan.
Even with his relationship with Baker and Shehan, Nabholz didn't even seriously consider Millersville as an option early in his transfer search. He looked at other Division I programs as well as junior colleges. But Millersville was coming off of a 53-7 record, a national runner-up finish, three pitchers signing professional contracts and boasts a brilliant track record for developing starters. Nabholz saw in Millersville an opportunity to pitch immediately. He saw five Millersville pitchers in the previous four seasons achieve his ultimate goal: play professional baseball.
"Talking it over with my family, close friends, some guys that mentor me, Millersville happened to be the perfect spot," said Nabholz. "I've known Coach Shehan since high school with family/friend connections. I knew what a great guy he is character wise, and that was somebody I wanted to play for. Also being able to come here, play for a winning program and not sit out a year was the perfect fit."
Seven starts into his first season at Millersville, Nabholz is already a three-time PSAC East Pitcher of the Week. He most recently tossed the sixth no-hitter in program history and has allowed just three runs and seven hits while striking out 26 over his last 19 1/3 innings. Nabholz leads the PSAC in innings pitched and strikeouts.
His production as a sophomore, which includes a 5-0 record, is impressive. But what is more uncommon and more impactful to a young, inexperienced pitching staff is his leadership.
"It's rare as a transfer because they already have a preconceived notion of what everything is supposed to look like," said Shehan. "With a freshman you have no idea, it is developed and you only know one thing. That's why we like to recruit freshmen and not as many transfers. But Eli has been an easy fit…He's been stable, a leader. He communicates really well. He's accountable. He sets an example for what leadership looks like and what hard works look like."
Millersville is attempting to replace three pro pitchers while continuing to win at a high level—a rare feat in the Division II ranks. Of the 13 Millersville pitchers with an appearance, eight are in their first season with the program. Someone need to set the tone for this staff in the weight room, in the classroom, on the practice field, meetings and daily preparation. Nabholz has filled that role.
Nabholz comes from a baseball family. His uncle, Chris Nabholz, pitched six years in the majors, playing for the Montreal Expos, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. Baseball and leadership is part of who he is. And Nabholz, even as a sophomore, knows that effective leadership is a two-way street. Teammates must be willing to accept the leadership and the leader must continue to learn and grow.
"Ever since I was young, I feel like I've had a leadership quality in me," said Nabholz. "Being a big guy, I've always been pretty vocal on the basketball court and baseball field. I feel I have the natural ability to lead so it's something I take seriously. But it's easy here having guys so welcoming. They absolutely accepted me from day one. It was easy to be myself and play the game, be vocal, help people and accept help from others."
"He is tremendous with his routines," said Shehan. "He's good about eating breakfast every day, doing his daily reading. He's an excellent student, and excellent teammate. He's liked by his teammates."
Nabholz's presence has been a blessing for the team, even if the devoted country music fan drives his roommate and fellow starting pitcher Cordell Shannon a little crazy with his guitar playing and singing to George Strait and Luke Bryan songs. Nabholz is also an avid reader. His favorite book is The Great Gatsby, but with Shehan's influence, Nabholz has started to delve into leadership titles.
His reading of those books is just one an example of his constant drive for improvement. Millersville is one of the few nationally-relevant Division II baseball programs that build a foundation with high schoolers and develop them into stars. The majority prefer ready-made, impact, collegiate transfers. As good as he has been in year one, Nabholz does not view himself as a finished product. Nabholz wants to improve his velocity, consistency and command of his fastball, curveball, change-up and cutter. He's met with Shehan to ask him what made sixth-round draft pick Brandon Miller successful. Nabholz wants to improve in every facet of the game. Nabholz wants nothing more than to pitch professionally. Shehan and his staff know how to help him do that.
Three years ago, Millersville's coaches believed Nabholz was out of their league. Now they, and Nabholz, know Millersville was the right fit all along.
"I absolutely love it here," said Nabholz. "Coming from Schuylkill County, I'm more of a small town kid. Coming from Penn State, it's such a huge campus with so many people, I feel more at home driving around Lancaster; it feels like I'm back in Pottsville. I love being here--the smaller classes. The baseball has been perfect. The people, the professors and the support and pride that are here have been awesome."
One month later, Eli Nabholz, a right-handed pitcher from Pottsville, Pa., is looking for a new school. He made 11 appearances as a freshman at Penn State but is looking to transfer. As a high school senior, Nabholz had his choice of schools and his final decision was between Alabama and Penn State. But in the summer of 2016, Millersville has a need, and Nabholz, a 6-6, 235-pound right-hander with four pitches, could fill it.
"Our leadership was zapped," said Millersville head coach Jon Shehan. "We lost all kinds of leadership with Miller and McDade, and Anderson would have been a leader this year. It's really, really hard to lose three guys to professional baseball and turn around and have success on the mound again."
Nabholz first met Shehan as a sophomore in high school. His sister has dated Millersville assistant coach David Baker since high school, but the staff didn't chase Nabholz in recruiting because Shehan knew Millersville had no chance of landing the prized pitcher.
"He was out of our range," said Shehan.
Even with his relationship with Baker and Shehan, Nabholz didn't even seriously consider Millersville as an option early in his transfer search. He looked at other Division I programs as well as junior colleges. But Millersville was coming off of a 53-7 record, a national runner-up finish, three pitchers signing professional contracts and boasts a brilliant track record for developing starters. Nabholz saw in Millersville an opportunity to pitch immediately. He saw five Millersville pitchers in the previous four seasons achieve his ultimate goal: play professional baseball.
"Talking it over with my family, close friends, some guys that mentor me, Millersville happened to be the perfect spot," said Nabholz. "I've known Coach Shehan since high school with family/friend connections. I knew what a great guy he is character wise, and that was somebody I wanted to play for. Also being able to come here, play for a winning program and not sit out a year was the perfect fit."
Seven starts into his first season at Millersville, Nabholz is already a three-time PSAC East Pitcher of the Week. He most recently tossed the sixth no-hitter in program history and has allowed just three runs and seven hits while striking out 26 over his last 19 1/3 innings. Nabholz leads the PSAC in innings pitched and strikeouts.
His production as a sophomore, which includes a 5-0 record, is impressive. But what is more uncommon and more impactful to a young, inexperienced pitching staff is his leadership.
"It's rare as a transfer because they already have a preconceived notion of what everything is supposed to look like," said Shehan. "With a freshman you have no idea, it is developed and you only know one thing. That's why we like to recruit freshmen and not as many transfers. But Eli has been an easy fit…He's been stable, a leader. He communicates really well. He's accountable. He sets an example for what leadership looks like and what hard works look like."
Millersville is attempting to replace three pro pitchers while continuing to win at a high level—a rare feat in the Division II ranks. Of the 13 Millersville pitchers with an appearance, eight are in their first season with the program. Someone need to set the tone for this staff in the weight room, in the classroom, on the practice field, meetings and daily preparation. Nabholz has filled that role.
Nabholz comes from a baseball family. His uncle, Chris Nabholz, pitched six years in the majors, playing for the Montreal Expos, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. Baseball and leadership is part of who he is. And Nabholz, even as a sophomore, knows that effective leadership is a two-way street. Teammates must be willing to accept the leadership and the leader must continue to learn and grow.
"Ever since I was young, I feel like I've had a leadership quality in me," said Nabholz. "Being a big guy, I've always been pretty vocal on the basketball court and baseball field. I feel I have the natural ability to lead so it's something I take seriously. But it's easy here having guys so welcoming. They absolutely accepted me from day one. It was easy to be myself and play the game, be vocal, help people and accept help from others."
"He is tremendous with his routines," said Shehan. "He's good about eating breakfast every day, doing his daily reading. He's an excellent student, and excellent teammate. He's liked by his teammates."
Nabholz's presence has been a blessing for the team, even if the devoted country music fan drives his roommate and fellow starting pitcher Cordell Shannon a little crazy with his guitar playing and singing to George Strait and Luke Bryan songs. Nabholz is also an avid reader. His favorite book is The Great Gatsby, but with Shehan's influence, Nabholz has started to delve into leadership titles.
His reading of those books is just one an example of his constant drive for improvement. Millersville is one of the few nationally-relevant Division II baseball programs that build a foundation with high schoolers and develop them into stars. The majority prefer ready-made, impact, collegiate transfers. As good as he has been in year one, Nabholz does not view himself as a finished product. Nabholz wants to improve his velocity, consistency and command of his fastball, curveball, change-up and cutter. He's met with Shehan to ask him what made sixth-round draft pick Brandon Miller successful. Nabholz wants to improve in every facet of the game. Nabholz wants nothing more than to pitch professionally. Shehan and his staff know how to help him do that.
Three years ago, Millersville's coaches believed Nabholz was out of their league. Now they, and Nabholz, know Millersville was the right fit all along.
"I absolutely love it here," said Nabholz. "Coming from Schuylkill County, I'm more of a small town kid. Coming from Penn State, it's such a huge campus with so many people, I feel more at home driving around Lancaster; it feels like I'm back in Pottsville. I love being here--the smaller classes. The baseball has been perfect. The people, the professors and the support and pride that are here have been awesome."
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