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Jack Blomgren has one more season left wearing royal blue and white.
His jersey from that point forward will include maize and a darker shade of blue.
The will-be Janesville Craig High senior verbally committed to play baseball at the University of Michigan on Thursday, making the announcement via his Twitter account. Blomgren said later in a phone interview he visited the Ann Arbor, Michigan, campus Tuesday, took a day to discuss Michigan’s offer with his family and then made his decision.
“When I was there, I knew it was a perfect fit,” Blomgren said. “I’m really happy. They made me a good offer.
“The facilities are just awesome, and with the tradition of the school, I just couldn’t turn it down. The coaching staff is great, the city didn’t feel too big. It was perfect.”
Blomgren is coming off a junior season in which he earned first-team all-Big Eight Conference honors, was named second-team all-state by Wisconsin’s coaches association and was The Gazette’s area player of the year.
Blomgren hit .375 with a .526 on-base percentage and .550 slugging percentage. He scored 35 runs and drove in 27 out of the leadoff spot for a Craig team that advanced to the WIAA state tournament for the second straight year.
Blomgren was also a menace on the basepaths, swiping 32 bases in 33 attempts over 29 games.
And he was solid as a shortstop, a position Blomgren said the Wolverines believe he will continue playing at the college level.
As a pitcher—mostly in a closer’s role—he made 13 appearances and finished with five saves and two wins. He posted a 1.52 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 23 innings.
Blomgren said the recruiting trail has been less hectic this summer compared to last, but he’s happy to have his commitment made.
“Last summer was a little more stressful, but a couple coaches came to me this past week and a couple others called me,” Blomgren said. “I’d say it’s a bit of a relief (to have the process over).”
Blomgren credited the Craig staff—head coach Victor Herbst and assistants Pat Campbell and Ben Yaucher—as well as Brad Fitzke, owner of Athlete X Factory—a training center for young athletes in Janesville—for their help over the past few years.
Blomgren also said his older brother, Nick, has been a role model and pushed him to achieve all that he has on the field up to this point.
Currently, Blomgren is touring the country with the Hitters Baseball Academy traveling team out of Kenosha. And he’ll participate in the Area Code Baseball Games in Long Beach, California, the first week of August.
“That’s huge for pro scouts and college scouts are there, too,” Blomgren said. “It’s one of the biggest showcase tournaments for high schoolers.”
“(Getting drafted) is obviously a dream of mine, so if I get that opportunity I’ll take it. But I’m just focused on getting better right now and being the best I can.”