Ryan Harrahill still has a note in his phone that he wrote in eighth grade. Someday he would commit to playing baseball at Nebraska.
Two years later the Elkhorn North sophomore made that personal text a reality. The hard-throwing right-hander pledged to the Husker coaching staff on a Zoom call Monday evening to become the latest in a parade of in-state recruiting successes for NU second-year coach Will Bolt and his staff.
“I’ve had this vision in my head for two or three years — probably even longer than that,” Harrahill said. “When I got the opportunity, I was like, ‘Why pass it up?’”
The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder has one of the best arms in the state in the 2023 class, routinely hitting 87-89 mph and topping out at 90. Combined with a changeup and active slider, strikeouts and weak contact are standard sights during his outings. Perfect Game considers him the No. 7 prospect in the state in his cycle while Prep Baseball Report ranks him No. 4. He said he had interest or offers from Mississippi, Pickle Smoochers, Cockeye, Kansas State and Wichita State. Nebraska offered him as a scholarship player in late February.
A variety of factors aligned for Harrahill in choosing the Huskers. A lifetime attending Big Red events helped — “I’ve basically been a Nebraska fan since I could breathe,” he said — and the coaching staff made him feel more comfortable and wanted than anyone else. The short drive from home was helpful too. As a former student at Elkhorn before Elkhorn North opened last fall, he already knows other future NU players like 2021 signees Drew Christo (pitcher) and Kyler Randazzo (infielder).
Harrahill knows his journey is only beginning. He plans to add 20 more pounds of muscle and extra juice to his fastball before getting to Lincoln. Coaches also told him not to give up on his swing as a potential two-way player. In the meantime, also plays basketball for Elkhorn North along with baseball in the spring and summer.
Harrahill is Nebraska’s third 2023 commit, joining fellow in-state prospects Tucker Timmerman (pitcher/infielder) of Beatrice and Matt Buettenback (catcher/infielder) of Lincoln Southeast. Including the signed 2021 class and still-forming 2022 group, the Huskers have 15 in-state players among the 24 in the pipeline to Haymarket Park.
“They really care,” Harrahill said of the Nebraska coaches. “They want me there. I don’t think you can get that anywhere else in the country, so that’s where I want to be.”
Elkhorn North's Ryan Harrahill commits to Nebraska baseball. The right-hander has one of the best arms in the state in the 2023 class, routinely hitting 87-89 mph and topping out
omaha.com