Manhattan baseball star, Nick Cimillo, prepared to dominate college competition and beyond
RIVERDALE, N.Y. (BVM) –The 2020 Manhattan College baseball season didn’t live up to expectations.
Thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak in March, the NCAA forced the Jaspers, along with every other active college sports team, to end their season abruptly. Every Manhattan player lost out on a chance to fully show what they improved on during the offseason, but none missed out more than star catcher Nick Cimillo.
Before committing to the Jaspers, Cimillo made a name for himself by dominating the high school level. Playing baseball for the Suffern Mounties, Cimillo was a three-time All-League selection, a two-time All-Section selection, and a two-time Section 1C League Player of the Year. He earned three athletic letters and was awarded Rockland County Athlete of the Spring in 2018. Jaspers’ coach Mike Cole clearly recruited a gem, yet many didn’t see what was coming later on.
Cimillo made history for the Jaspers as soon as he stepped on the field for his freshman year. Arguably the best player in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) in 2019, Cimillo hit for a .350 AVG, .471 OBP, .498 SLG, seven home runs, and 36 RBIs all in 59 games. The freshman catcher would earn the conference’s Rookie of the Year award and All-MAAC First Team honors, amongst other prestigious awards. Cimillo’s efforts led his team to a 15-9 record in the conference and two wins in the MAAC Tournament.
Cimillo’s freshman season created a new set of expectations for the star catcher. Not only was Cimillo included on the official watch list for the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award, but he was also named the Preseason MAAC Player of the Year.
Cimillo would only be able to appear in 11 games his sophomore season, hitting for a .259 AVG, .365 OBP, .370 SLG, one home run, and 13 RBIs. With a shortened season, Cimillo wouldn’t have enough at-bats to build off his freshman campaign. His numbers were down, but he likely wasn’t in a rhythm to start the season.
Cimillo is expected to have a major junior year, assuming the NCAA green-lights the 2021 spring sports season. Even after a shortened sophomore year, the Jaspers’ catcher is still projected to be a top pick in the MLB Draft. According to draftsite.com, Cimillo will be taken with the 25th pick in the first round if he chooses to forgo his senior year.
With hundreds of players taken in the draft each year, it would be quite the feat for a small school player to be chosen in the first round. But Cimillo still has a long way to go. He needs to find a way to improve on his historic freshman year to maintain his pro interest. Cimillo will look to build off last year heading into a make-or-break junior campaign.
