All-American shortstop Michael Schulze has decided to forgo his senior season at Missouri Western next year as he has signed a professional baseball contract with the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.

The Lee’s Summit native was drafted by St. Louis in the 19th-round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft last weekend.  Terms of the contract were not announced.

He will begin play Monday for the State College Spikes in Pennsylvania for the Cardinals Class A Short Season Affiliate.

Schulze earned national player of the year honors from Daktronics and the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and he was named a first-team All-American by Daktronics, ABCA and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Schulze set a Missouri Western single season school record for batting average (.439), hits (94) and runs scored (70). He also had five home runs, 49 RBI, 17 doubles, two triples and he stole 17 bases.

Schulze was also the Central Region and MIAA Player of the Year and he was first-team All-Region and first-team All-MIAA.

Schulze helped Missouri Western to a school record 40 wins, their first-ever MIAA baseball championship and the programs second NCAA Division II Regional appearance.