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Business Student One of First MLB Draft Picks in UNO’s Division I Era

Senior accounting major Cole Gruber was selected in the 27th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Cole Gruber

Photo: Omaha Athletics

Cole Gruber was just settling into his summer accounting internship at BKD. Then the Oakland Athletics called.

The Omaha baseball player was selected in the 27th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on June 11.

Trading his suit and tie for an A’s jersey, cap and cleats, Gruber immediately headed south to steamy Mesa, Arizona, to begin his rookie season.

“It’s been a dream of mine ever since I was little,” he says. The 22-year-old grew up wearing various MLB team jerseys. “To finally put one on was a great feeling.”

The outfielder has been adjusting well so far to life in the professional league — except for the heat.

“The only difference is the temperature hasn’t been below 110 here,” he says. “In Omaha, it doesn’t get above 80 during the season.”

As the Summit League’s leading hitter and the Mavericks’ all-time leader in sacrifice bunts and stolen bases, Gruber is not one to shy away from sweat equity.

Right now one of my first goals is to finish school, and then see how far baseball takes me.

 Cole Gruber
The rookie clocks 12-hour days a majority of the week between batting practice, weight training, traveling and playing games. He calls it living the dream.

By mid-August, the team will have played about 50 games, and Gruber will come back to reality in Omaha, resuming life as a college student at the UNO College of Business Administration.

A native of Papillion, Nebraska, Gruber says he chose UNO primarily for his baseball scholarship but also for the business school after he toured Mammel Hall. “Once I realized the business school was great, that just solidified my decision.”

The senior accounting major plans to finish his degree with the 150 credit hours required to take the CPA exam. He’s shooting for a summer 2017 graduation date.

“Right now one of my first goals is to finish school, and then see how far baseball takes me,” he says.

If all goes as planned, Gruber will head to Mesa again in late February or early March 2017 to put in the training and time it takes to move to the next level.

“It’s a long trek,” he says. “Everyone starts at the bottom. You have to work your way up.”

Whatever happens with baseball, Gruber knows that his biggest fans — family and friends — and his education are the keys to his success.

“Just being a part of UNO and the great community, and all my teammates and friends, and my parents and everyone surrounding me — I would obviously want to thank them for all the support they gave me because without them, it couldn’t have happened,” he says, describing his MLB draft selection.

Long term, he wants to work for a public accounting firm. So if he’s not catching fly balls in the majors someday, perhaps he’ll be back at BKD.

Gruber is one of the first draft picks in UNO’s Division 1 era. The other is Robert Calvano, drafted the same day in the 38th round to the St. Louis Cardinals.

About a week later, senior right-handed pitcher Tyler Fox signed a free-agent contract with the Minnesota Twins. Fox is also a CBA student, studying management and marketing.

Related

Gruber, Calvano Selected Saturday in MLB Draft (omavs.com)

Gruber Going to Next Level After Draft (wowt.com)