Scott Schreiber was almost the entire offense for the Nebraska baseball team in 2016. 2017's drop off in power let him drop in the draft as well as he fell to the 26th round.

Nebraska baseball star looking to show he can do better

Nebraska simply would not have gotten to the postseason in 2016 if it wasn't for Scott Schreiber. That's why a similar 2017 season and a drop in the draft is surprising.

Schreiber led Nebraska in basically every offensive category two years ago. He hit .325, slugged .629, had 16 homers (the team lead by 10) and 55 RBI.

Schreiber was easily the most feared player in the Huskers lineup.

Fast forward to 2017 and the Nebraska star appears to have had a similar season, minus the fire power. Schreiber posted a better batting average (.330) and drove in just four fewer runs.

Where the Nebraska baseball star saw a significant drop in production was his power. Schreiber went from 16 homers to just seven. He also saw his slugging drop from that astounding .629 to a more pedestrian .494.

That slugging number still led a power-hungry Nebraska team. He also still led the Huskers in homers and RBI.

Despite back-to-back solid offensive seasons, it doesn't appear the major leagues are big believers. The Nebraska slugger went in the 26th round to the Tampa Bay Rays.

That late draft pick has led Schreiber to decide to return to Nebraska for his senior season. That's certainly good news for the Huskers. It's got to be frustrating for a player that thought he had gotten his name alongside some of the best players in college baseball.

Nebraska is going to be trying to find some offensive in 2018, after it being the key problem in 2017.

The news of the return of Schreiber is even better, considering the Huskers lost out on one of their top recruits after he was drafted quite a bit earlier.

Schreiber not the only drafted Nebraska baseball player returning

Schreiber is going to be joined by one of his Nebraska teammates that was drafted quite a bit higher. Luis Alvarado was taken in the 13th round by the Seattle Mariners as a pitcher but he hadn't signed with the team by the June 7 deadline.

The return of these two veteran players, who the Nebraska baseball team had likely considered gone has to be good news for head coach Darin Erstad. Following another post season where his team got run early, his seat might be getting a bit hotter.

Schreiber and Alvarado can help form a veteran core for a Nebraska baseball team still trying to find its footing in big games. The defending Big Ten regular season champs will need to take the next step next year.
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