At what age did you start playing baseball and how did you get into baseball?
I started playing at the age of 5, I started by watching my dad's slow pitch softball games, and MLB on TV.
Do you have any pregame superstitions or routines?
Listen to "First Day Out" before I warm up.
What sport would you play if you did not play baseball and why?
Football, because I played it my whole life.
What is one thing that someone wouldn't know about you?
I am afraid of heights.
Who is your biggest role model and why?
My dad because he taught me almost everything about the game.
Who was your favorite baseball player growing up or who is someone that you model your game after?
Colby Rasmus.
NAME & HOMETOWN PRONUNCIATION
JUNIOR – 2026
Drafted in the 3rd round (No. 82 overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2026 MLB Draft; third highest draft pick in program history
All-Big 12 Second Team
Big 12 All-Tournament Team
Lawrence Regional All-Tournament Team
6-4, 5.85 ERA, 97.0 IP, 35 BB, 120 SO in 17 starts
Broke the single-season school strikeout record vs. Northeastern 5/29/26 (previously Mike Zagurski with 112 in 2005)
Only Division I pitcher to have multiple games with at least 15 strikeouts in 2026
Second most strikeouts in Kansas history at 289 and tied for the second most games started in KU history at 48; both marks are the most ever by a Kansas pitcher in three seasons
One of four Division I pitchers nationally to throw a 9-inning complete game with at least 15 strikeouts in 2026
Third in the Big 12 with 120 strikeouts (T-14th nationally), sixth in strikeouts per nine innings (11.13), 10th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3,34)
Became the 11th KU pitcher to finish with at least 20 career wins
Led the team in innings pitched (97.0) and strikeouts (120)
Seven of his last nine starts were quality starts
Final nine starts: 4-2, 3.86 ERA, 58.1 IP, 15 BB, 81 SO
W, 7.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 9 SO in the Lawrence Regional vs. Northeastern 5/29/26
7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 8 SO in the Big 12 Tournament vs. Baylor 5/21/26
Struck out at least 10 batters in four of five starts from April 11-May 8
Baseball America National Team of the Week (May 5)
Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Week (May 4); first Kansas pitcher to win Big 12 Pitcher of the Week four times in his career
First career complete game vs. Arizona 5/1/26 (9.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 15 SO)
W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 15 SO (career high) at Oklahoma State 4/18/26; most strikeouts by a Jayhawk since Jimmy Walker in 1993
W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 10 SO vs. UCF 4/11/26
6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 SO vs. Houston 3/22/26
W, 5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 7 SO vs. St. Thomas 3/6/26
W, 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 SO at McNeese 2/20/26
Starting pitcher on Opening Day; only Kansas player on the roster who was in at least his third season in Lawrence
Preseason All-Big 12 Team
No. 6 MLB Draft prospect for 2026 in the Big 12 by D1Baseball
No. 11 MLB Draft prospect for 2026 in the Big 12 by Perfect Game
Perfect Game Preseason All-Big 12 Team
No. 30 starting pitcher for 2026 by D1Baseball
No. 65 junior for 2026 by Perfect Game
SOPHOMORE – 2025
3x-Big 12 Pitcher of the Week (March 31, April 28, May 19); first Kansas player to win the award three times in the same season
7-5, 5.70 ERA, 96.1 IP, 36 BB, 89 SO in 16 starts
Second in the Big 12 in innings pitched (96.1), tied for fifth in wins (7) and ninth in strikeouts (89)
Tied for the most innings pitched in Big 12 games (67.1)
W, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 SO at West Virginia 5/15/25
W, 8.2 IP (career high), 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 SO at Utah 4/25/25
W, 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 SO at UCF 4/4/25
W, 8.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 10 SO vs. Oklahoma State 3/28/25; 8.0 IP were a career high at the time and 10 SO tied his career high
W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO vs. Baylor 3/14/25
W, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 8 SO at Tarleton State 2/21/25
No. 4 MLB Draft prospect for 2026 in the Big 12 by D1Baseball
No. 10 MLB Draft prospect for 2026 in the Big 12 by Perfect Game
No. 94 sophomore for 2025 by Perfect Game
FRESHMAN – 2024
USA Baseball Collegiate National Team (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 2 APP)
D1Baseball First Team Freshman All-American
Baseball America First Team Freshman All-American
NCBWA First Team Freshman All-American
Perfect Game Second Team Freshman All-American
Big 12 Freshman of the Year
All-Big 12 Second Team
Big 12 All-Freshman Team
Perfect Game Midseason Second Team Freshman All-American
Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team
7-2, 3.89 ERA, 81.0 IP, 29 BB, 80 SO in 15 starts
His 80 strikeouts were the most by a freshman in program history and his 15 starts tied the most by a freshman in school history
His seven wins were the most by a KU freshman pitcher since Jamie Splittorff in 1993
Finished the regular season tied for third in the Big 12 in wins (7), tied for fifth in ERA (3.32), seventh in opponent batting average (.228) and tied for seventh in innings pitched (76.0)
Seven wins were tied for the second most in the country among Power 5 freshmen and his 3.89 ERA was third lowest in the nation among Power 5 freshmen
Allowed three earned runs or less in 12 of his 15 starts, including one earned run or less in eight of those outings
Recorded eight quality starts, including five straight from 3/16-4/13/24
His 10 SO on April 13 were the most by a Kansas freshman since John Quinn on April 5, 1984 vs. Baker and first against a Division I opponent since Jim Phillips on March 12, 1980 vs. Arkansas State
W, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 SO at Kansas State 5/4/24
W, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 SO vs. Texas Tech 4/27/24
W, 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 10 SO vs. Pacific 4/13/23
W, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 SO at BYU 3/29/24
W, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 SO vs. #3 TCU 3/9/24
Earned his first career win vs. Texas Southern 3/2/24 (W, 5.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 7 SO)
Tossed six innings of one-run baseball vs. Washington State 2/24/24 (6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 SO)
Made his first career start vs. Illinois-Chicago 2/17/24
No. 6 impact freshman for 2024 in the Big 12 by D1Baseball
No. 120 starting pitcher for 2024 by D1Baseball
HIGH SCHOOL
Drafted in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks
Played three years of baseball at Columbia High School
Ranked the No. 5 pitcher in the state of Illinois, and the No. 9 overall prospect in the state according to Prep Baseball Report
Named Post-Dispatch All-Metro Player of the Year in 2023
All-State selection in 2022 and 2023
All-Conference in 2021, 2022 and 2023
Helped Columbia finish second in Class 2A in 2023 and third in 2022
Helped Columbia become Cahokia Conference Champions in 2022
Finished his senior season with a record of 10-0 and a 1.04 ERA in 67.1 innings pitched, which included 111 strikeouts, five complete games, three shutouts, a 0.86 WHIP and a .176 batting average against in 11 starts
Hit .488 with 20 doubles, 12 home runs, 51 RBIs, 57 runs, 23 stolen bases and a .961 slugging percentage as a senior
Also played four years of football and three years of basketball
All-Conference in football all four years
PERSONAL
Son of Matthew and Kiley Voegele
Has two younger brothers, Mason and Xavier
Committed in August 2022
Picked Kansas over Illinois State and Western Kentucky
Chose Kansas because, “When I went on my unofficial visit the coaches and people I talked to were awesome and the campus was amazing, which really made me want to be apart of the KU family. KU is also a good distance away from home, meaning it isn’t too far, but not too close.”