 Rabe played baseball, basketball and football at Unity High School in Mendon, Illinois, Where he later graduated.He'd received multiple college offers to play football and basketball, but the only school interested in him as a baseball player was Division II Quincy University, where he earned Great Lakes Valley Conference Freshman of the Year honors in , and in , was named to the All-Great Lakes Valley Conference team and was the GLVC Player of the Year.He’s the school’s all-time leader in hits (212), doubles (48) and runs (170).