SIOUX CITY, Iowa – It's that time of year again; when ESPN takes a break from its regularly scheduled programming to bring you the Little League World Series. When the kids come up to bat, a tidbit of personal information is displayed under the player with their statistics.

One of the questions they ask is: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" The answer is almost invariably: "A professional baseball player."

To say the odds of making it to The Show are incredibly slim would be an understatement, but for one ART U baseball alumni, that dream became a reality. On June 6, 2016, Nate Gercken, a 2015 graduate from the School of Communications & Media Technologies, was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 16th round of the MLB draft. 

"It was a dream come true," said Gercken. "I still remember the phone call I got, it was a day I'll never forget."

Gercken more than deserved the selection. He was a dominant starter throughout his collegiate career and holds ART U pitching records for almost every category, including earned run average, wins, strikeouts, and shutouts. In his last two seasons, Gercken posted a sub-three ERA and crushed the single-season strikeouts record his senior year with 79 punchouts to earn a selection to the All-PacWest Team. 

"I enjoyed my five years at Academy of Art," said Gercken. "I wanted to play at ART U to show people an art school can compete. It made me play with a chip on my shoulder and I still do for that extra bit of motivation."

But there's a saying around professional baseball: "Getting there is hard, staying there is even harder." The old adage held true for Gercken who was released by the Twins in 2016 after having a tough time adjusting to his new role out of the bullpen. 

"When I got released I still wasn't comfortable with that role," said Gercken. "But if that's what the professional teams saw in me; I was going to make sure I fit that mold." 

Gercken was determined to get back to Major League Baseball so when an opportunity to continue his professional career arose in 2017 with the New Jersey Jackals, an independent team in the Canadian-American Association, he took full advantage. It was there he started to adjust to his new role. 

"After seeing a new pitching coach and putting on some weight in the gym, I got comfortable in the bullpen," said Gercken. 

That season, Gercken posted the second lowest earned run average on the team (2.70) in 46.2 innings pitched that included a stretch of 16 consecutive appearances without surrendering a run. Next season, he improved even more and lowered his ERA to a stellar 2.08. Gercken seemed prime for a return to the MLB affiliation. 

"I've been throwing the ball well over the last couple years," said Gercken. "I have had interest in affiliated teams signing me again and was getting really close last season."

But in August 2018, Gercken tore his UCL and had to have surgery. 

"So this year instead of proving I have the stuff to get signed, I'm proving that I'm healthy," said Gercken. "I am optimistic that I'll get back to affiliated ball soon. It's all about the right time at the right place."

Right now, that place is Sioux City, Iowa where he is proving his health and determination with the Sioux City Explorers in the American Association league, the top independent league in the country. And for the third straight year, Gercken has lowered his season ERA even further to a microscopic 1.96. His sensational season earned him a selection to the American Association All-Star Team for the first time in his career. Gercken is doing everything he can to ensure that when he is in the right place at the right time, he makes the most of it. 

"It would mean a lot to get back to an MLB team," said Gercken. "My whole career, I've had to explain to people what an art school is, how they have baseball, and how I got drafted. That's the thing I think is so cool about Academy of Art - just because it's an art school doesn't mean you can't chase your athletic dreams."