Omaha, Neb. — Creighton Baseball head coach Ed Servais announced his final fall signing class of seven student-athletes on Friday, Nov. 15. The Bluejays will add junior college transfer Evan Stratton (Redlands, Calif.) as well as freshmen Nick Bowron (Rochester, Minn.), Jakob Ruhl (Central City, Neb.), Brody Shinkle (Olathe, Kan.), Seth Thompson (Northfield, Minn.), Hunter VaDeer (Austin, Minn.) and Joe Washburn (South Bend, Ind.) will join the Bluejays for the 2026 season.
“Our coaches staff did a great job bringing in a strong class for the 2026 season,” said Servais. “When you consider this group needed to accilmate to a new area, their work is even more impressive.”
Evan Stratton—Mt. San Jacinto College/Riverside Community College, Redlands, Calif., – 6-3 Right Handed Pitcher
A one-year pitcher for Mt. San Jacinto College, Stratton will be the lone transfer of the class and arrive to Creighton. He will pitch for Riverside Community College during the spring of 2025. Stratton was a talented right hander for the Eagles, collecting 44 punch-outs in only 45 innings during the 2024 season. In 12 appearances for the Eagles, Stratton posted a 5-2 record, including a nine-strikeout performance in his win at San Bernadino Valley on Feb. 24. During his freshman campaign, he led Mt. San Jacinto College to a 30-12 record, making a postseason run to the 3C2A Regionals. Stratton will increase the Bluejays’ pitching depth, entering Creighton with a 3.35 ERA during his freshman season.
Nick Bowron—Lourdes HS, Rochester, Minn., 6’3 205 – Catcher
Bowron comes to Omaha from Rochester, Minnesota, where he was a member of the Lourdes HS team, GRB Rays and Reds Scout Team. Bowron signed to Creighton as the No. 1 ranked catcher in the state of Minnesota and the No. 10 ranked player overall by Prep Baseball Report, while he was also ranked in Perfect Game’s Top 500 national prospects. The Bluejays acquired an offensive weapon in Bowron, as the left hander hit .455 with 12 XBH in 44 at-bats during his junior season.
Jakob Ruhl—Central City HS, Central City, Neb., 6’3 195 – Right Handed Pitcher
A Nebraska native, Ruhl was an integral part Central City’s 19-9 record during his junior year, leading his team in batting average (.397), on base percentage (.505), home runs (1), stolen bases (11), ERA (1.58) and slugging percentage (.551). In Ruhl’s three varsity seasons with Central City, he delivered a career 2.30 ERA with this best seasonal ERA coming in 2024 (1.58). A member of the Nebraska Prospects club team, Ruhl is ranked as the third best RHP in Nebraska and 11th ranked prospect in the state overall by Prep Baseball Report and is considered a top 500 player nationally according to Perfect Game.Outside of baseball, Ruhl was a part of the varsity basketball team during the junior season, as well joined the varsity football team his junior and senior year.
Brody Shinkle—Blue Valley Southwest HS, Olathe, Kan., 5’10 180 – Infielder
The only right-handed infielder in the class, Shinkle led to a Blue Valley Southwest to a 15-9 record his junior year. The Olathe, Kan. native is ranked the No. 2 shortstop in Kansas, as well as the 18th ranked player overall according to Prep Baseball Report. Shinkle shined in his junior high school campaign, claiming Second Team All-State honors from the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches. Shinkle, a top 500 player nationally according to Perfect Game, also played club ball with the Building Champions 17U White Squad this past season, helping the club to a 2-2 record in the 2024 spring/summer season .
Seth Thompson—Northfield HS, Northfield, Minn., 6’2 190 – Infielder
Thompson comes to Omaha as a highly sought after southpaw shortstop, as he was ranked the No. 1 SS in Minnesota and 11th ranked player overall by Prep Baseball Report. Thompson hails from Northfield, Minn., where he turned around Northfield High School’s 4-10 record to a 19-7 record his sophomore year. Thompson is also listed as a top 500 player nationally according to Perfect Game. The second Minnesota native in the class, Thompson played club baseball for Minnesota Mash out of Eagan, Minn.
Hunter VaDeer—Lyle Secondary School, Austin, Minn., 6’1 210 – Right Handed Pitcher
VaDeer rounds out the Minnesota signees, hailing from Austin, Minn. The RHP is known for his craftiness at the mound, recording a 9-1 record with a 1.43 ERA in his junior campaign with Lyle Secondary School. VaDeer tallied a staggering 115 strikeouts in 49 innings his junior year, leading the squad to a 16-5 record and 10-2 mark in conference play, while also earning All-State honors due to his stellar play in his junior campaign. The Minnesota native is ranked as the No.1 RHP and No. 5 ranked player overall, while also earning the 369th ranking nationally by Prep Baseball Report. VaDeer is also considered a top 500 player nationally according to Perfect Game. The right hander played his club ball for MacStrength out of Eden Prairie, Minn.
Joe Washburn—St. Joseph HS, South Bend, Ind., 5’8 160 – Infielder
A shifty shortstop, Washburn completes the 2026 signing class and marks the third infielder of the class. The South Bend, Ind. native has had a stellar high school career, posting a .408 hitting average in 245 ABs over three varsity seasons for St. Joseph. Washburn was named to the All-Tournament Team in the prestigious Perfect Game WWBA Championship, while he also led St. Joseph to a 21-7 record in his junior campaign. According to Prep Baseball Report, the southpaw SS is ranked No. 4 among SS in Indiana and ranked No. 20 overall in the state. Washburn is also a top 500 player nationally according to Perfect Game. Washburn played club ball with the Indiana Nitro as well as the Chicago Cubs Scout Team located in Southern California.
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