Jaxon Jelkin’s father, Bill, played baseball at the collegiate level at the University of Nebraska Kearney, but Jaxon chose a different path. He took to baseball and excelled on the mound, earning All-State honors while attending Bellevue West High School in Bellevue, Nebraska, and had an exceptional senior season, posting a 1.20 ERA in 52.1 innings, striking out 80 batters and allowing just two extra-base hits all season. Jelkin went undrafted after graduating and honored his commitment to the University of Nebraska.
The right-hander’s time with the Cornhuskers was short. He appeared in 6 games total, pitching 11.