Cardinals' draft pick Hofmann elects to go to Northwestern State University

Muenster Red Sox alum Logan Hofmann (Muenster, Sask.), who was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2019 MLB draft, has elected to attend Northwestern State University. Hofmann pitched last season for the Colby Community College Trojans. Photo: Colby Community College Athletics

*This article was originally published on Discover Humboldt on August 14, 2019. You can read the original version here.

By Maury Wrubleski

Discover Humboldt

When Muenster’s Logan Hofmann got the call at the beginning of June that he had been drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, it triggered a flurry of excitement in the Hofmann household, throughout his hometown of Muenster, and the baseball community in Saskatchewan. It also signalled a tough decision.

The right-handed pitcher had a chance to head from his two-year junior college into the minor league development organization for the Cardinals or pursue his education. After a stellar stint with Colby Community College, in Colby, Kansas, the decision was not immediately easy for the former Muenster Red Sox pitcher.

One of the experiences that helped Hofmann to make the decision was the opportunity to play summer ball on America’s east coast. Hofmann was invited to the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Falmouth Commodores. The league has the reputation of being one of the most competitive summer ball challenges for college players. Hofmann said it definitely showed.

“It’s different pitching to college hitters because it’s the best of the best. You have to work harder and it’s tougher to strike guys out there for sure just because they see better pitching all the time. Every pitcher in that league is really good.’

Hofmann believes it upped his work quotient because of the challenges and it showed in his success, particularly early in the season.

“At the beginning of the summer, I got off to a hot start. As the summer went on, I threw a lot of innings this year, so I think that caught up to me toward the end a little bit.”

With 10 appearances and a more than respectable 3.37 ERA in the season, Hofmann was pleased with his level of competition as reflected in the numbers. With the Commodores bowing out in the second round of the playoffs, Hofmann had a little time to rejuvenate before heading into the fall.

And the fall holds a new challenge for the pitcher as he heads south once again. Hofmann elected to accept an offer from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. NSU is an NCAA Division 1 school which will provide Hofmann with that next level of competition he’d experienced in the Cape Cod League. Deciding to forego the offer by the Cardinals, Hofmann says its the right move for him and a strategic decision in a number of ways.

“I felt like if I developed another year, I could improve on my stock and hopefully have a really good season next year and hopefully go higher in the draft.”

The other factor in the decision was the overall feel that the university gave Hofmann on his first visit to the campus. Undaunted by the distance between his Saskatchewan home and the city of 20 thousand people in America’s deep south, Hofmann says the vibe of the place made it feel like home.

“As soon as I stepped foot on the campus, it felt like a larger version of my junior college in Colby, and I loved my time there. Everybody is really welcoming. It’s not huge; it’s not tiny. It just felt like a great place to be.”

Hofmann committed to the school in early November last year, months before the call from St. Louis. Knowing that his new campus would afford him an education and quality baseball opportunities, Hofmann made the decision with no looking back. He approaches this next phase with all the confidence to succeed.

“I trust myself, I trust my coaches there, and I trust my family. I feel like it’s the best decision for me and it will pay off it the end.”

With a lighter schedule of workouts, practices, and intrasquad games in the fall, Hoffman will have time to settle in before the new season launches in the spring. With another year of professional draft eligibility, the future continues to shine for the Muenster native.