Nebraska Pulls Off Recruiting Stunner: No. 1 Ace Pitcher in America, Five-Star Phenom Noah Gartner, Commits to Nebraska Baseball
In a move that’s sent shockwaves across the college baseball landscape, the Nebraska Cornhuskers have landed the commitment of the nation’s No. 1 high school pitcher—five-star phenom Noah Gartner. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound right-handed ace out of Temecula, California, made his decision official on Monday morning, shunning powerhouse programs like LSU, Vanderbilt, and Texas in favor of the rising Big Ten underdog.
Gartner, whose fastball has touched 99 mph and whose curveball has been described by scouts as “major-league ready,” is the most decorated pitching prospect in the 2025 class. Ranked No. 1 overall by both Perfect Game and Baseball America, he has drawn comparisons to Justin Verlander for his size, mechanics, and mental edge on the mound. And now, he’s heading to Lincoln.
“Coach Bolt believed in me from the start,” Gartner said during his commitment announcement. “He didn’t just talk about development—he showed me how Nebraska would sharpen every part of my game, on and off the field. This isn’t just about baseball. It’s about building a legacy.”
That legacy is already taking shape. Gartner’s arrival marks the highest-ranked baseball recruit in Nebraska history, surpassing even Alex Gordon’s storied signing in 2002. It signals a massive shift in perception for a program that has long struggled to attract elite national talent in a sport dominated by the SEC and West Coast schools.
Sources inside the program confirm Nebraska’s recent $45 million baseball facility upgrade, including the state-of-the-art Dave Van Horn Performance Center, played a crucial role in Gartner’s decision. The facility boasts cutting-edge pitching labs, biomechanics analysis rooms, and virtual reality training spaces—the kind of elite tools traditionally seen only at pro development centers or in the SEC.
“This is a generational commitment,” said head coach Will Bolt. “Noah Gartner isn’t just coming here to throw baseballs—he’s coming here to make history. And we’re ready.”
Recruiting insiders were blindsided. Many had Gartner penciled in as a lock to sign with LSU or head straight to the MLB Draft. But the right-hander shocked scouts at a recent showcase when he showed up in Nebraska gear and later made a quiet, unofficial visit to Lincoln. Behind closed doors, Nebraska had been working this recruitment for months, with Bolt personally making multiple trips to Southern California.
Now, the dominoes may start to fall. Gartner’s commitment is expected to draw further attention to Nebraska’s 2025 class, which already includes two Top 100 infielders and a rising JUCO catcher. MLB scouts have already begun to circle, and ticket interest for the 2026 season at Haymarket Park has seen a 300% surge in the last 24 hours.
For a program looking to return to the College World Series, Noah Gartner might just be the flame that reignites the fire.
