Central Methodist senior pitcher Nick Merkel signed a professional contract with the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball last week. 

Merkel becomes the first Eagle since Peyton Long in 2019 to ink a professional contract with Major League Baseball.

“Nick is a winner,” said head coach Nate Breland. “He has won everywhere he has been, and we are very happy for him in reaching his dream. It has been an honor to watch him grow physically and mentally the past three years.” 

A native of Spokane, Washington, Merkel pitched for the Eagles for three seasons from 2020 through 2022. During his time with CMU, he became a two-time NAIA All-American, including earning Second Team honors in 2021. In addition, Merkel led Central to a Heart Regular Season and Tournament Championship, an Opening Round Championship, and its first-ever Avista NAIA World Series appearance.

“He’s a hard worker, he’s talented, he’s a bulldog on the mound,” Breland said.

Merkel transferred to Central from junior college as a junior. He was able to play for three years due to changes in regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Breland said that when Merkel arrived at Central, he was throwing around 84 MPH. Last year, the 6-foot, 7-inch tall senior was throwing 95 MPH with a solid change-up and slider in his arsenal.

Breland said the improvement came from hard work and buying into CMU’s system. “I’ll probably never coach another kid like that,” Breland said. “He’s super talented and worked really hard.

The Eagles finished 2021 as the NAIA National Runner-Up, posting a 3-2 record at the series in Lewiston, Idaho. Two of those wins came from Merkel, and he was named to the All-Tournament Team for his efforts.

In 2022, Merkel appeared in 16 games with 16 starts, tossing 106 total innings and throwing 136 strikeouts. Overall, he posted an 11-4 record and a 2.29 earned run average, earning him Heart First Team All-Conference honors.

Merkel concluded his time at Central as the single-season record holder in strikeouts (136, 2022), innings pitched (106, 2022), wins (14, 2021), and complete games (nine, 2022). He is Central’s career record holder in both strikeouts (285) and wins (29).

Merkel was signed to a one-year contract by the Brewers as a free agent and is now in Arizona at “rookie ball.” Milwaukee’s farm system includes four rookie teams in Arizona and the Dominican Republic, along with Single-A, High-A, AA, and AAA ball clubs in North Carolina, Wisconsin, Mississippi, and Tennessee, respectively.