Our top 100 countdown continues with Morehead State outfielder Niko Hulsizer.
The 6-foot-1, 210 right-handed outfielder led the nation in home runs (27) and RBI (82) during the 2017 season. That led to him being named a First-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, and he was the Ohio Valley Conference Co-Player of the Year.
Coming out of high school he was ranked as the 33rd best player in the state of Pennsylvania, and the eighth best outfielder from the state.
As a freshman he hit .345 in 116 at-bats with 27 runs scored, 5 home runs and 25 RBI. He played in 39 games, but started just 25.
That following summer he played in the Cal Ripken League where he hit .295 in 105 at-bats with 6 doubles, 2 home runs, 26 runs scored and 14 RBI. He also walked 22 times and struck out just 18 times.
In 2017 Hulsizer really put his name on the map with a 27 home run season. He also hit .349 in 249 at-bats with 21 doubles, 69 runs scored, 82 RBI, 27 walks and 74 strikeouts.
After the season he won the 2017 College Home Run Derby.
Your 2017 College Home Run Derby Champion: Niko Hulsizer pic.twitter.com/bUZ35pLYNz
— Home Run Derby (@CollegeHRDerby) July 2, 2017
This past summer he played in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) where his numbers weren’t quite as great. He did manage to hit 7 home runs in 169 at-bats, but hit just .254 and struck out 63 times. Hulsizer also had 11 doubles, 27 runs scored and 20 RBI.
The big righty obviously has a lot of pop in his bat, and he’s hit for a high average through most of his collegiate career.
His swing is not very complicated either. He does a great job of holding his hips back and then exploding into the baseball.
The swings-and-misses will obviously be a concern as he struck out a lot in 2017. But you’ll take those strikeouts if he’s hitting 20-plus home runs.
A lot of people will be watching Niko this year to see if he can duplicate last year’s gaudy home runs totals. If he does, you can bet major league teams will be salivating over that home run potential.
