Jeff Schulz
Jeffrey Alan “Jeff” Schulz (born June 2, 1961) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder from Evansville, Indiana. Schulz played professionally for the Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates and later returned to Evansville, where he coached high school baseball.
Reitz Memorial High School
Schulz was born and raised in Evansville and attended Reitz Memorial High School, where he played baseball before continuing his career at the college level.
University of Southern Indiana
Schulz played college baseball at Indiana State University-Evansville, which later became the University of Southern Indiana.
He played for the Screaming Eagles during the 1982 and 1983 seasons and developed into a professional prospect.
Following the 1983 season, the Kansas City Royals selected Schulz in the 23rd round of the Major League Baseball Draft.
Schulz’s accomplishments at USI were later recognized when he was inducted into the University of Southern Indiana Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.
Professional Career
Schulz spent several years working his way through the Kansas City Royals’ minor-league system before finally reaching the Major Leagues in 1989.
He made his MLB debut for Kansas City on September 2, 1989, at age 28.
His first Major League at-bat produced one of the most memorable moments of his career. Entering as a pinch hitter, Schulz faced legendary pitcher Nolan Ryan.
Rather than becoming another of Ryan’s record-setting strikeout victims, Schulz delivered a single for his first Major League hit.
Schulz appeared in seven games for Kansas City in 1989 before receiving a larger opportunity the following season.
In 1990, he appeared in 30 games for the Royals, batting .258 with 17 hits, five doubles, one triple and six RBI.
Schulz later joined the Pittsburgh Pirates, appearing in three games during the 1991 season.
Overall, Schulz played in 40 Major League games from 1989 through 1991, collecting 19 hits and seven RBI while batting .244.
Coaching and Evansville
After his professional playing career ended, Schulz returned to his hometown and remained involved in baseball.
He became the head baseball coach at Mater Dei High School in Evansville, helping develop another generation of local players before stepping down from the position in 2012.
Baseball has also continued in the Schulz family. His brother Pat Schulz became one of the most accomplished baseball players in University of Evansville history, earning All-American honors before being drafted by Cleveland.
Pat’s son and Jeff’s nephew, Simon Schulz, continued the family tradition as a multi-sport standout at Reitz Memorial before joining the University of Evansville baseball team in 2026.
Legacy
Jeff Schulz’s baseball career remained closely connected to Evansville from beginning to end.
He went from Reitz Memorial High School to USI, spent nearly a decade in professional baseball, reached the Major Leagues with Kansas City, recorded his first MLB hit against Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, and eventually returned home to coach at Mater Dei.
His induction into the USI Athletics Hall of Fame recognized a career that makes Schulz one of the relatively small number of Evansville high school and college baseball players to reach Major League Baseball.