Junior college left-handed pitcher Ryan Sleeper became a late addition to the Huskers' 2022 baseball recruiting class last week. Though he likely won't sign his letter intent with Nebraska until the spring, he is firmly on board in playing for NU in college.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Sleeper, from Minnesota originally, signed with North Carolina out of high school, but Tommy John surgery sidetracked that initial plan and he ended up at Wabash Valley junior college. He was also considering Arkansas, Kentucky and North Carolina State out of high school; and he chose the Huskers over Missouri and Louisiana-Lafayette this time around.
"Honestly, it was just kind of the coaching staff and they were the school that had the most interest in me and made me feel like I was a priority for them," Sleeper explained why he decided to commit to Nebraska.
NU assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Lance Harvell made the trip to Mount Carmel, Illinois to scout Sleeper and the rest of the Wabash Valley pitching staff to see who would be the best fit for their program, and Sleeper was the one they identified and pursued.
He took an official visit to Lincoln for the Ohio State football game weekend and was sold on the totality of what the Nebraska baseball program I had to offer him.
"I showed up on Friday from my junior college, and they took me to lunch at Gate 25 and we talked there," sleeper began, while adding, "It was just Coach Harv and Coach (Will) Bolt and me. They took me back to the field and gave me the full four of the baseball facilities and the football facilities. Just kind of where I would be doing all my work.
"Then we went out to dinner with my [player host] which was Kyle Perry, and he showed me a good time with the other coaches. We just talked for two or three hours over a steak dinner. The next day, I woke up and saw the sports science lab at Nebraska that they use with all their athletes. I then went to the football game and hung out with the baseball team the rest of the day, which was very fun."
He has been well-traveled through his two cycles of recruitment, and Sleeper was highly impressed with the Huskers' array of facilities for their baseball program.
"Honestly, they are second to none," Sleeper opined. "I mean, I have been to a lot of places just through playing and visiting a lot of places and playing at different facilities, and I was honestly blown away. It was honestly comparable to top SEC facilities, in my opinion.
"It kind of gave me the same feel as an Arkansas almost. It seems like the best facilities in the Big Ten, and top of the line in college baseball, in my opinion."
Sleeper sat out the COVID-shortened/canceled season with his injury and surgery, and came back halfway through the 2020 season. In limited work this past season, Sleeper threw 9.1 innings with 15 strikeouts and two walks, and tallied a 0.96 ERA.
"I'm more of a sidearm pitcher, so I throw from a lower slot like Chris Sale," Sleeper said. "People consider it kind of a funky delivery. My fastball is a four-seam fastball, but it acts like a two-seam because it has a lot of sink and run to it. That sits in the low of 90s.
"My changeup is my primary secondary pitch, and kind of what I use in every situation. In every count, if I need a pitch to go to, I throw it. I throw a cutter and slider as well. I use my changeup to get ahead of guys and the breaking stuff to finish them."
The Husker coaches like Sleeper's versatility on the mound, and they plan to utilize his talents to maximum effect once he gets to Lincoln.
"I'm kind of a Swiss army knife," Sleeper explained. "I'm probably going to go in there as a top of the line reliever, and then if they need me anywhere, as far as starting or back end of the bullpen, I can kind of fit those roles. That's kind of what I do here for my team at Wabash. If we need a guy to start a game, I can go out and start; but most of the time I'm coming out of the bullpen and pitching in as many games as I can."
Sleeper attended Lakeville (Minn.) Lakeville North, which is the same high school current Cornhusker offensive tackle Bryce Benhart attended as well.
"We played on the same football team," Sleeper shared. "Honestly, we went to the same high school and we were in the same grade, so we are pretty good friends. He played o-line while I played quarterback. He's a good buddy of mine.
"I also know [former Husker baseball player] Angelo Altavilla who used to play there, and I know of Jack Steil because he's a Minnesota kid but I don't know him personally."
Sleeper will have three seasons of eligibility left on the Division I level once he gets to Nebraska next summer.
