Talk about living the dream.
Jack Wheeler, a 2025 Morris graduate, was selected Monday in the sixth round by the Texas Rangers in the Major League Baseball draft Monday. He was the 175th pick overall. Wheeler, who has been committed to the University of Illinois since his freshman year of high school, said he is leaning heavily toward signing with the Rangers and taking the next step in his baseball career. The Rangers clearly have a high opinion of Wheeler, as MLB.com did not list him in their top 250 prospects entering the draft.
“I still have to think it through and talk with my family,” Wheeler said. “But I am probably going to sign. They [the Rangers] will pay for my college when I am done playing, so I am not losing out on that.
“The Rangers have been following and talking to me since spring season started, and they have always been the most interested. I have a lot great memories of my time at Morris High School, but I am also ready for a new chapter. Playing professional baseball is what I have dreamed of since I was 4-5 years old. It is going to be hard to pass up that chance.”
Wheeler, a four-year varsity starter, was named Interstate Eight Conference Player of the Year as a sophomore and a senior. As a junior, he helped lead Morris to third place in Class 3A. This season, he hit .377 with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs as Morris finished with a 27-9 record. He also was a mainstay on the mound, where he had a 1.33 ERA and struck out 92 in 63 innings as he was named a member of The Herald-News All-Area first team. He also was selected to Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association All-State first team in Class 3A.
Wheeler, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound third baseman, leaves behind a legacy at Morris that is behind few others. He was a three-sport standout, earning all-conference honors in football, basketball and baseball. He topped the 1,000-point barrier in basketball and is one of the most decorated athletes in school history.
“When Jack came in as a freshman, we knew we had a special player,” Morris baseball coach Todd Kein said. “The key was seeing how he was going to fit into our system. It became very clear very early in his freshman year that he needed to be up with the varsity. We had a need, and he certainly had the ability.
“Jack has always been mature beyond his years, and there was no better place for him to show that than on the baseball diamond. This is just a storybook ending for a great high school career. He has been a spotlight athlete, and he has meant a lot to not only the athletic program, but the whole community. He has raised the bar for our program and put us back on the map when it comes to statewide recognition. I couldn’t be happier for Jack and his family.”