(Elk Horn) Exira-EHK graduate Tyler Jacobsen has had a successful two year stint on the baseball team at Benedictine University. The former Spartan is hoping to latch on with a professional organization as a pitcher.
Following a pair of seasons at NIACC in Mason City, Jacobsen took a year off before landing at the NAIA school in Mesa, AZ. He says the year away from the game helped rejuvenate his career. “I wasn’t really sure if I was going to play baseball anymore. I got really into weight lifting and gained about 25 pounds in 5-6 months. Ever since then I started throwing a lot harder. My arm got a lot healthier during that time.”
His senior season with the RedHawks was cut short due to COVID-19. Jacobsen says the teams was playing well. His individual stats included a 4-1 record with a 2.75 ERA in his first year as a starter. In his junior year he was one of the team’s top relievers with a 1.69 ERA. “Something I do well is just throwing strikes. It’s something that I’ve always done even since high school. So that’s something I have going for me. My velocity is upper 80’s to low 90’s so I’m not overpowering, but it’s good enough.”
The COVID-19 pandemic brings a lot of unknowns to Jacobsen’s future. He’s hoping to play professionally, but if he doesn’t get picked up by a team he’ll likely return to college for an additional year of eligibility. Jacobsen played for the Carroll Merchants last summer and will do so again if they have a season. The experience with the Merchants opened the door to have some contact with pro scouts. “There’s a few scouts that were following me. I had a pretty good season. Obviously the college season ending early doesn’t help me. I just need to keep getting stronger and keep getting my name out there. It’s something that I’ve wanted every since I started playing baseball. It didn’t seem very realistic two years ago, but the past couple of years I’ve thrown a lot better and thrown harder. I’m confident, it’s something I feel I am capable of doing.”
