Husker pitcher Tucker Timmerman thriving in summer league baseball, on the last frontier

BEATRICE, NEB. - Tucker Timmerman began his big time baseball days Christenson Field in Beatrice, setting records for the Orangemen.

More recently, he just wrapped up his freshman year for the Huskers, picking up a Big Ten Championship, but now, he’s doing what he loves on the last frontier.

Timmerman is spending the summer with the Matsu Miners in the Alaska Baseball League.

“At first it was really weird, it’s like always day time here,” Timmerman said. “There’s maybe 4-5 hours of not even true darkness, just dusk, a day so that was an adjustment. Seeing the mountains everyday is incredible.”

Timmerman says his days are pretty rinse and repeat. Sleep, lift, and play baseball, in weather more like a Nebraska fall with temperatures usually in the 60’s. While baseball is the main priority, Timmerman’s also made time to see the sights - like a camping trip to Denali National Park in week one.

“Staying in a tent in Alaska is going to be a core memory for sure,” Timmerman said. “We’re out in the wild. There was moose poop like 50 yards from our tent. Being in a tent knowing a moose or bear could come up on us in the middle of the night was pretty insane.”

Timmerman is an avid fisherman and hunter himself. In one of the best places to do things outdoors, he’s taken advantage chasing salmon in Alaska’s pristine rivers.

“Beautiful fish, they fight real hard,” Timmerman said. “The first day we went fishing, I hooked into one really early on… I fought it for seven minutes. Didn’t end up landing it, I think it was huge, it gave me bloody knuckles from pulling out line so fast.”

While he’s lived the life of an Alaskan summer to the fullest, Timmerman’s also played some solid baseball. Through 17 innings, he hold a 2-1 record and an impressive 0.53 ERA. He’s taken advantage of throwing in a wood bat league.

“College kids are used to those metal bats, they get a wood bat in there hands, you can jam them a little easier and can’t hit the bar as far I think,” Timmerman said. “Just pounding the zone consistently, not walking guys, and staying ahead in counts is primarily what I’m trying to do up here.