Two-sport metro-east star taking baseball talents to Kansas Jayhawks. And football too?

Excellent student — check. Exceptional two-sport athlete — check. And, just for good measure, Homecoming King — check.

Columbia High School senior Dominic Voegele is the total package.

And now, Kansas University will be the beneficiary of his talents as he signed a National Letter of Intent on Nov. 17 to play baseball for the Jayhawks starting next year. Voegele, who will attend KU on a full ride scholarship, chose Kansas over Illinois State and Western Kentucky.

“Whenever I went on my visit there I got to know the coaches pretty well, especially the pitching coach, coach (Brandon) Scott,” said Voegele, adding he primarily will pitch at KU. “I bonded with all of them pretty well. They all seemed like really good guys. Everything there was really nice. They had all the facilities and everything that we were looking for to be able to develop.”

Overall, Voegele — who verbally committed to Kansas on Aug. 25 — started late in the recruiting process but felt relief once it was over for multiple reasons, including the heavy price tag and travel associated with being uncommitted.

“I didn’t really get on coaches’ radars until it was a little bit later in the recruiting part of it,” Voegele said. “Once I committed, it was a big relief. I was going to a lot of camps before. It was a lot of money. Those camps are pretty expensive ... and all the traveling and everything. Now that I’m committed, I don’t have to do all that. I just go to one here and there; it’s a little bit easier.”

Signing with Kansas is the bow on a tremendous prep baseball career for the 6-foot-2, 180 pound Voegele, also a standout football player.

Voegele dominated on the mound in 2022, leading the metro-east in strikeouts with 113 while averaging more than 13 Ks per seven innings pitched in four postseason appearances. According to Eagles baseball coach Neal O’Donnell, Voegele’s 113 strikeouts were the most by a Columbia pitcher since Josh Mueller had 114 in 2007 en route to the state championship.

Voegele went 9-3 while allowing just 34 hits in 65 innings pitched in helping the Eagles to a 27-8-1 mark and third place finish at the IHSA Class 2A state tournament.

O’Donnell raved about Voegele, citing his exploits and talents both on the baseball diamond and football field.

“When I think of Dom, I think about his ability to go to another level when he needs to. I think that showed this past season with his ability to get strikeouts in key situations, especially during our postseason run,” O’Donnell said. “This will to win was also on display on the football field this past season. He almost single-handedly willed the team to several big wins throughout the season.”

Voegele also shined at the plate last spring, leading the team with a .393 average and 33 RBI. He also hit a walk-off home run against Breese Central that helped propel the Eagles to the Cahokia Conference championship.

“He gets it done when it matters most,” O’Donnell said.

The Voegele pitching profile

Voegele consistently throws 92-93 miles per hour while fashioning a plus slider. His arsenal also includes a curveball and change-up.

“I think besides my fastball my pitch best is probably the slider. I’ve been working on that a lot lately,” Voegele said. “The curveball is there, too. The change-up is still a little bit of a work in process. It’s not very good right now, but we’re getting there with it.”

To stay sharp, Voegele spends his offseason working out frequently and attempting to throw one or two bullpen sessions weekly.

“And then I’ll get my long toss in to try to build strength for increasing velocity. And I still try to hit a little bit, every once in a while,” he said.

O’Donnell compared Voegele to Mueller, who had an excellent career at Eastern Illinois University before pitching several years in the Colorado Rockies organization.

“Dom is a very similar pitcher to Josh. Josh had a really good slider, and that’s a pitch that Dom worked really hard on last year to add to his repertoire to go along with an above average curveball,” O’Donnell said. “He can run his fastball up there at 93.”

As far as making the jump to a power conference such as the Big XII, Voegele said. “I think I’m going to have to really focus on getting my velo(city) up and working on my control a lot and work in counts a little better and facing better hitters.”

O’Donnell said Voegele pitched for the Cincinnati Reds Scout Team this fall. O’Donnell noted that team plays in many of the high profile Prep Baseball Report and Perfect Game events to get players exposure to college and pro scouts, and Voegele has had some contact with professional teams about the Major League Baseball draft.

Football star

On the football field, Voegele rushed for 1,350 yards and 15 touchdowns on 156 carries in the fall, good for an average of 8.7 yards per rush. He also threw for 1,130 yards and 10 touchdowns while enjoying an excellent season as a kicker for the Eagles, who went 6-4 and reached the IHSA Class 4A postseason

“I’ve coached a lot of kids over the years here and without question he ranks in the upper 5% of kids that I’ve coached,” Columbia coach Scott Horner said. “He’s a fierce, fierce, fierce competitor. And then also just a great kid.”

Horner cited Voegele’s even-keeled nature as one of his biggest assets.

“You don’t know if this kid has thrown five touchdowns passes or five interceptions at any point in time in a game,” Horner said. “He mirrors that same mindset on the mound when he’s pitching. You show up in the fourth inning and you’d have no idea whether he’s struck out everybody or if he’s given up five home runs.”

Horner added Voegele is plenty talented enough to play football in college. Voegele said he has considered walking on at KU, which qualified for a bowl game this season.

“Oh I don’t know yet. I’ve talked to my dad about it and he thinks it would be a good idea. I’m considering it. But I don’t know ... we’ll see whenever we get there,” said Voegele, adding his favorite sport is baseball.

Needless to say, Horner is elated for both Voegele and his entire family.

“It’s really special. I’ve known his family and I’m happy for them and it’s been a really great experience for them as well. He’s just a super great kid that deserves everything he is getting. We obviously here are proud as heck and wish him the best at Kansas,” Horner said.

Look ahead

Voegele is looking forward to a big spring for the Eagles.

“I think we’re going to be really good,” he said. “We have a lot of returners. We only lost four seniors last year. So this year we’re going to have a lot of experience. I think we’re going to be able to do the same thing as last year if not win the whole thing this year.”

Like Horner, O’Donnell is very excited for and proud of Voegele.

“I get many questions asking about Dom. Young kids, old players, and people who have no vested interest in Columbia baseball want to know about Dom. He’s just a great kid, and we are excited for him and his future — on and off the field,” O’Donnell said.

This story was originally published December 30, 2022 at 8:00 AM.