There is a myth that Mount Michael athletes are looking ahead to build a career in an office rather than on a field. However, Mount Michael has demonstrated significant improvement or continued success across all its sports. One of these sports is baseball.
Led by Coach Tom Swanson ‘01, the baseball program has prepared players to play in Division I and even play in the MLB, as is the case for Luke Broderick.
A graduate of the Class of 2021, Luke Broderick was ranked as the 14th overall prospect and the 7th right-handed pitcher prospect in Nebraska when he graduated from Mount Michael, according to Perfect Game. At The Mount, he was dominant on the mound and at bat, holding the career and single-season records for strikeouts and home runs. Along with lettering in baseball, he received all-state recognition in his senior season. He also lettered on the football team.
The then-14th overall prospect in Nebraska decided to take his talent to Iowa Western Community College (IWCC). He would play 21 games for IWCC across two seasons, starting 15 of them. In those games, he went 8-1 and put up a 5.75 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 56.1 innings. Broderick was also part of the NJCAA All-Star Team and played a game for the Stars and Stripes, giving up three hits and having six strikeouts in the 3.1 innings he played. Following Broderick’s sophomore season, he transferred to Nebraska. With the Cornhuskers, he posted a 3.25 ERA and 13 saves, the latter of which is tied for the third most in program history. He had 43 strikeouts in 36 innings, limiting batters to a 0.225 batting average. With all the fantastic statistics he put up with the Cornhuskers, he became a Second-Team All-Big Ten member.
Broderick declared for the MLB draft following his impressive 2024 season. His accomplishments caught the eye of one MLB team: the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies decided to take a swing at the Mount Michael alumnus in the 14th round, making him the first-ever Mount Michael baseball player to get drafted.
Tom Swanson, the head coach of the Mount Michael baseball program and Broderick’s former coach, stated that he was thrilled to hear the news from Broderick himself. Swanson noted that one of Broderick’s goals was to get drafted into the MLB. Swanson talked about how hard of a worker he was during his time at The Mount, spending more time in the weight room and on improving his craft than anyone else.
Of the Benedictine values, Swanson said that integrity was the value Broderick fit best because “he always matched his words with his actions and never took shortcuts.”
Taking anyone in the 14th round is obviously going to be a project. When Swanson was asked about the attributes Broderick needs to succeed in the MLB, he said that the future pro’s determination and mental toughness, which he has had since he was a high school freshman, are what could lead to his success in the MLB.
Swanson concluded that this news gives proves all Knights have the opportunity and potential to reach their athletic heights.
