Alex Breckheimer wasn’t supposed to be here.
Not in conversations with pro scouts. Not topping out at 98 mph. And not on MLB draft boards.
Three years ago, the then-6-foot-4 right-hander was a lightly recruited high school arm with a mid-80s fastball from Chilton, Wisconsin, a town of about 4,000 people. He sent over 100 emails to college coaches and got almost nothing in return.
But now, after two years at the JUCO level and a successful junior season at Kansas this spring, Breckheimer has enhanced his skills on the mound to put himself on the radar.
The righty thrived as Kansas’ closer this spring, and scouts are intrigued by his potential. Breckheimer is a name to watch during the two-day MLB draft, which begins on Sunday in Atlanta.
“It’s truly special,” Breckheimer said. “I never expected to be where I am at. You just never know where you are going to end up. You just have to keep working hard and hope it all works out.”
Out of high school, Breckheimer stood 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds. He was a lanky, multisport athlete whose fastball topped out at 85 mph his junior year, and by graduation, he touched 88.
“I got very few responses,” said Breckheimer on the 100-plus emails he sent to coaches. “The interest was minimal. But Bryant & Stratton saw something in me that summer after junior year and gave me a chance.”
It was the only shot he needed.
Breckheimer leaned into the junior college grind. He improved his diet, dedicated time at least five days per week to the weight room and trusted the coaching staff. Pitching coach Nate Brown helped him overhaul his mechanics and pregame routine. He also developed an improved slider, which became his go-to out pitch.
At the beginning of his sophomore year at the small Wisconsin junior-college program, Breckheimer visited Division I mid-major programs Milwaukee, Central Michigan and Omaha. Breckheimer didn’t want to rush his commitment. Instead, he once again bet on himself, and it paid off.
After throwing 95 mph during a spring outing, Breckheimer caught the attention of Kansas coaches, who quickly reached out. He visited the campus, loved the fit and committed, turning down interest from Nebraska, Campbell and Oklahoma State.
Breckheimer, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound right-hander, overpowered hitters this spring as Kansas’ closer, leaning on a fastball-slider combination to generate swing-and-miss results. He posted a 3.56 ERA with 50 strikeouts and just 14 walks across 48 innings.
His fastball sat in the mid-90s and touched 98 mph, featuring late life and riding action that played especially well up in the zone. He paired it with a hard, short slider that sometimes resembled a cutter and served as his primary swing-and-miss pitch. He occasionally mixed in a curveball and changeup, but he mostly relied on those two dominant offerings.
“My command is a big strength of mine,” Breckheimer said. “I don’t really walk anyone, and that’s something that allowed me to pitch a lot this year.”
Coming out of high school, Breckheimer simply wanted to keep playing sports. It was all he knew, and he wasn’t thinking beyond the opportunity to keep competing in college. Becoming a draft prospect wasn’t even on his radar.
But through years of hard work, perseverance and steady development, he’s now positioned himself with a legitimate shot at a professional career.
Breckheimer is quick to credit those around him for helping him reach this point. Along with his college coaches, he points to the unwavering support of his family, his high school pitching coach Gerry Steffen and his hometown community as key influences in his growth.
“It was nothing I ever expected, especially coming from a small JUCO that no one knew,” Breckheimer said. “I had to explain to everyone on my team where the school was and the name of it. It meant a lot. It was special because no one expected me, even myself, to do as well as I did this year. That’s not going to stop me from doing it again and better than I did.”
Read more in-depth stories on top 2025 MLB draft prospects at Baseball Prospect Journal.
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for 10 years. He has interviewed 580 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as an “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
