Spencer Nivens
OF Missouri State
2022 MS stat line - .346/.443/.542, 11-HR
12-2-22 - 2023 MLB Draft: Ten Rising Hitters To Watch - https://d1baseball.com/prospects/2023-mlb-draft-ten-rising-hitters-to-watch/ -
Spencer Nivens, CF, Missouri State– The redshirt sophomore put together a high-level, yet under the radar sophomore season for the Bears with team-leading .346 batting average, to go along with .443 OBP and 11 home runs. The left handed leadoff hitter is also an above average runner and average defender in the outfield. His fringe-grade arm strength may best suit him to left field in pro ball, but he’ll patrol the big field once again for Mo State this spring. Currently, he slots into the mid Day Two draft bucket of potential prospects.11-28-22 - 2023 MLB Draft: College Top 100 Prospects - https://d1baseball.com/prospects/2023-mlb-draft-college-top-100-prospects/ -
89 Spencer Nivens CF Missouri State MVC
11-10-22 - 3 UNDER THE RADAR HITTERS FOR THE 2023 MLB DRAFT -
SPENCER NIVENS, MISSOURI STATE, LF
Nivens is a fun and terrifically interesting outfield prospect heading into the 2023 season. Missouri State has done a wonderful job developing the 5-foot-11-inch, 185-pound hitter over the last two seasons, helping to turn him into a formidable middle-of-the-order presence.
Nivens is coming off a fantastic 2022 campaign where he slashed .346/.443/.542 with eleven homers. He had 44 walks and 45 punch outs, roughly a 15% mark on both fronts. He’s got tremendous bat speed and features a swing that stays well-connected and utilizes ground force better than most as a means for producing impact. Nivens has been susceptible to changeups fading out of the zone from right-handed pitchers, especially early in counts, but when he falls behind, he’s shown a willingness to adjust. In terms of pure tools, he’s a fringe-average runner with a fringe-average arm, probably best-suited for left field. He’s a better athlete than his tools would suggest, playing the ball well and running solid routes in the field.
Nivens’ metrics at the plate really point to a potential impact bat at the next level, reaffirming what the eye test suggests. His 12% chase rate is elite, ranking in the 99th percentile of all college hitters in 2022. His peak exit velocity of 111.3 mph ranks in the 95th percentile of all hitters, so the raw juice is certainly present. Furthermore, Nivens had a whiff rate of just 9% on pitches north of 92 mph last season. As a matter of principle, from this chair, a solid track record against big velocity at the amateur level is a key indicator for finding success as a professional. Nivens checks that box with authority. Skeptics will look at the warts with changeups and splitters from righties with pause, but I think most would agree we’re working with a strong foundation here.
If Nivens can up the athletic tools a tick and handle the off-speed stuff with more conviction next season, his profile compares favorably to a guy like Georgia Tech outfielder Tres Gonzalez, a 5th round pick by the Pirates this summer.
All the 2023 Draft Prospects in the Mack’s Mets database can be viewed by going to www.macksmets.blogspot.com and clicking on 2023 DRAFT PROSPECT DATABASE found on the top, left of the front page of the site.
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