SIOUX City, Iowa- Former UW-Oshkosh baseball ace LJ Waco signed a professional contract with the Sioux City Explorers, a member of the American Association of Professional Baseball, last Tuesday (April 14).
 
The AAPB is an official partner league of Major League Baseball, and the level of competition is comparable to the High-A level of the Minor League Baseball system.
 
"I am very excited for LJ to have the opportunity to play baseball at the professional level." UW-Oshkosh baseball head coach Kevin Tomasiewicz said. "He came to Oshkosh as a shortstop and because of a back injury, switched to fulltime pitching. Over the next two years, he became one of the best pitchers in the WIAC. Every time he stepped on the mound, the team knew that we had a great chance of walking off the field with a win. His determination and work ethic to be the best pitcher he can be is unmatched. I am confident that he will be a very successful professional pitcher. All his former teammates and coaches are looking forward to seeing him get back on the mound this summer."
 
A two-time All-WIAC First Team selection (2023, 2024), the right-handed Waco will make his professional debut in 2026. Between 2021 and 2024, Waco posted a career record of 11-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 38 games, including 17 starts. In all, he pitched 145.1 innings for the Titans, striking out 191 against 53 walks and allowing 49 earned runs against 121 hits. The Cary, Ill. native was named the WIAC Pitcher of the Week Twice: Feb. 27-March 5, 2023, and April 24-30, 2023.
 
"I didn't think playing professional baseball was possible. After I graduated, I started in the professional world as a strength and conditioning coach," Waco said. "I was set on helping young athletes reach their goals and enhance the skills they already had. During that time, I continued to stay fresh to have fun rather than preparing for a season. This winter I got that competitive itch back and wanted to see what I could do, so I started preparing for a hypothetical season.
 
A month ago, I went to K's Training Academy down in Bloomington to throw to some professional hitters just to see where I was at and hit a lifetime best of 96 miles per hour off the mound. I was shocked and started receiving calls to talk about a professional opportunity. It was surreal and I decided there was no better time to try it than now.
 
Playing professional baseball fulfills a lifetime dream of playing at the highest levels. Internally it validates all the hard work that I put into junior high, high school and college baseball.
 
I want to especially thank Coach T for giving me the opportunity my sophomore year of college to switch to a pitcher and challenging me to become better every day. I can't thank him enough for the influence he has had on my career."

In his final season in black and gold, Waco went 5-3 in 10 games, making nine starts and posting a 2.89 ERA in 62.1 innings. Waco finished tied for first on the team in wins and second in innings pitched. He punched out a team-high 79 batters and finished the year surrendering 20 earned runs on 48 hits with 20 walks and a 1.091 WHIP.
 
In 2023 Waco went 6-0 in nine games with eight starts with a 2.21 ERA in 61 innings. He was third in innings pitched for the Titans and first in strikeouts at 79. He yielded 15 earned runs on 54 hits with 13 walks to post a 1.098 WHIP for the season.
 
Waco made 16 relief appearances in 2022 with no record but recorded two saves in 19.2 innings of work. His 16 games pitched led the Titans and he would put up an end-of-season line of 35 strikeouts, giving up 10 earned runs on 16 hits while issuing 16 free passes. Waco finished with a 1.627 WHIP for the season. Following his sophomore season, Waco pitched for the Green Bay Rockers in the collegiate summer ball Northwoods League, appearing in two games.
 
Waco made three relief appearances in 2021, throwing 2.1 innings and fanning one batter while allowing four earned runs on three hits and four walks.