Nebraska Baseball Loses Lincoln Native, Power-Hitter to Transfer Portal

Max Buettenback has elected to spend his final collegiate baseball season outside of his hometown as the senior will enter the transfer portal.

Nebraska right fielder Max Buettenback swings at a pitch against Kansas at Haymarket Park on April 23, 2025. | Nebraska Athletics

Nebraska baseball's senior class suffered an in-state hit on Friday.

Max Buettenback, a Lincoln native and three-year Husker baseball outfielder, entered his name into the transfer portal Friday as first reported by the Omaha World Herald. Buettenback confirmed his portal entry on social media. The senior will have one year of eligibility remaining for his next college baseball destination.

Buettenback saw a decrease in his action as a junior this past season for Nebraska, as the outfielder went from 40 games played to 32, and saw a reduction in his starts from 31 to 16 by the end of his third season.

Nebraska outfielder Max Buettenback prepares to swing at a pitch from Northeastern. | Nebraska Athletics

During his freshman campaign in 2024, Buettenback would see action in six games including one start as the Lincoln native recorded a home run, one RBI, and a run scored in his six at bats. His inside-the-park home run at Wichita State was the first for a Husker since 2021.

As a sophomore, Buettenback became an integral part of the Huskers' second Big Ten Conference Tournament title team. He would appear in 40 games with 31 starts, hitting .286 at the plate with eight doubles, a triple, and seven home runs. Buettenback added 27 RBI to match his 27 runs scored while tallying seven multi-hit games, including two three-hit performances.

Buettenback's at bats were reduced by half his junior season, earning 68 compared to 126 as a sophomore. The junior's batting average dipped to .206 while earning 14 hits, two doubles, and four home runs. Buettenback added 12 RBI while scoring 14 runs across 32 games.

Max Buettenback catches a fly ball in right field. | Amarillo Mullen

The junior suffered a cold hitting stretch as the Huskers' designated hitter in the early-stretch of the season, going without a hit from March 1 until March 18 spanning seven contests. Some struggles continued in Big Ten play across April, as Buettenback had one hit through another seven contests. However, the junior was able to get on base in several chances through both stretches, finishing with an on-base percentage for the season at .333.

"It is definitely frustrating to go through something like that. I always know that there's a reason that everything happens," Buettenback said in April of 2025. "I just put my head down and kept working hard. When I got those opportunities, I made sure I took advantage of those opportunities. Eventually the ball started falling for me."

"it is not like I hate the other pitcher, but you got to get in that mentality. You can't be going up there scared. I'd rather go up there with a little anger that I'm going to punish the ball," Buettenback said on his mentality at the plate.

Nebraska designated hitter Max Buettenback celebrates after hitting a home run against Wichita State at Hawks Field | Nebraska Athletics

Buettenback did see action in the final two games of Nebraska's season, going a combined 1-3 against Ole Miss and Arizona State with a two-RBI home run against the Rebels in the Huskers' 6-3 loss in the Lincoln Regional.

The Lincoln native arrived at Nebraska as the No. 7 overall prospect in Nebraska by Prep Baseball Report after lettering in football and baseball at Lincoln Southeast High School as a three-time all-conference and all-state selection with the Knights. Buettenback also spent time in the Northwoods League with the Willmar Stingers in Minnesota, playing in 76 games in two years with 101 hits, 16 doubles, a triple, and 14 home runs in the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

With Buettenback's departure, Nebraska's senior class for the 2027 season continues to dwindle. The Huskers had 12 listed juniors on its 2026 roster, but could potentially be down to 10 with Buettenback's announcement and right-handed pitcher Ty Horn's decision to enter the MLB Draft. Horn has stated he is not considering a transfer should he return to Nebraska.

Case Sanderson celebrates his RBI single to score Stone and Buettenback to give Nebraska the 3-2 lead in the sixth inning. | Amarillo Mullen

Nebraska's incoming senior class includes Will Jesske, Case Sanderson, Mac Moyer, Preston Freeman, Cooper Katskee, Trey Fikes, Miken Miller, Carter Kelley, Tucker Timmerman and Ryan Harrahill.

The Huskers finished the 2026 season 43-17 overall including a 23-7 Big Ten Conference record. Nebraska earned a home postseason site at Haymarket Park, falling in back-to-back games to close its season.