Conqu’ring Heroes: Former Wolverine Nwogu on Becoming a Pro, Finishing his Education
11/18/2021 9:19:00 AM | Baseball, Features
On this week's edition of the "Conqu'ring Heroes" podcast, Jon Jansen takes a trip down memory lane with former Michigan baseball star Jordan Nwogu, who talks about his professional career with the Cubs organization to this point, the transition back to Ann Arbor for some classes this semester, and his memories from the special 2019 season with the Wolverines.
By Riann English
Growing up, former University of Michigan baseball player Jordan Nwogu never seriously considered that playing Major League Baseball (MLB) was a feasible option for him. Initially, baseball was primarily a means to an education, but after being drafted 88th overall by the Chicago Cubs in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft, that dynamic completely flipped.
Instead of being a full-time student and a part-time athlete, Nwogu is now a full-time professional athlete and school took a step back. It was his parents, two University of Michigan professors, who encouraged Nwogu to continue his educational efforts towards a degree.
During the off season, Nwogu has returned to Ann Arbor to take college courses at Michigan. He made a promise to his mother that no matter what he did in his career, he would graduate from college.
"It's been hard… but it's been good," Nwogu said on the latest edition of the Conqu'ring Heroes podcast. "My parents are a big help. It's one thing I owe to her [his mother] and to myself. I know I can do it."
The summer of 2020 was an unprecedented time for baseball with Major League Baseball announcing that it would go without a Minor League Baseball season, in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite not being able to play organized baseball at all, Nwogu was able to find a silver-lining in it all by practicing every day with his teammates and focusing on improving his hitting and defense.
In terms of hitting, Nwogu says being adjustable has become one of goals, but he's also had to adjust to multiple changes since pursuing his professional career. Leaving college baseball culture has forced Nwogu to rely on himself more than he ever did during his tenure at the University of Michigan.
"In college, you're playing for your team, your teammates -- every at bat is a team at bat. In pro ball, you're on your own," he said. "Everyone's working on their own thing. Everyone's not invested as much in each other, so that was one big difference. You really have to find yourself as a player and build a lot more confidence in yourself, which is something I struggled with."
As Minor League Baseball continues to challenge Nwogu, he takes all those obstacles in stride. Having to play more games every day has introduced him to a new level of work. Despite this, Nwogu says he's grateful for the mental and physical struggles he endured thus far. With the tools he's gained from his first professional baseball season, Michigan's former star continues to work his way up and forward through the Chicago Cubs' minor league organization.
"I learned a lot of things that can help me cope with the struggles now that I've had my first pro season," he said. "I want to focus on hitting and becoming the best hitter possible and studying the game."
