Spencer Nivens is a few days away from likely becoming an early-round selection in the Major League Baseball draft, something that seemed wildly unlikely two years ago.
Nivens entered the fall of 2021, coming off a redshirt season, as one of four players competing for the final spot on Missouri State’s baseball roster.
“He could have easily gone somewhere else,” Bears coach Keith Guttin said. “Instead, he went to work and showed us that he was right and we were wrong.”
Nivens was a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American in 2022 in helping Missouri State return to NCAA Tournament play. He followed that by becoming the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year in 2023, a do-it-all center fielder who attracted the attention of pro scouts throughout.
“Ever since that fall it’s been kind of a grind and I haven’t looked back,” Nivens said earlier this week from his home in Columbia. “I’ve learned to play with a little chip on my shoulder and prove to people who have doubted me.
“Just being able to use those tough times as my motivation and continue to grow as a person and player, that has been huge for me.”
MSU coaches expect Nivens to go early
Guttin said he expects Nivens to go somewhere in the first six rounds, though assistant coach Joey Hawkins wouldn’t be shocked if someone selected Nivens as high as round two.
Nivens is trying to dial down expectations and just let the process play out. The draft will be held in Seattle with rounds one and two on Sunday, three-through-10 on Monday and 11-20 on Tuesday. A lifelong fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals, Nivens admits he’s anxious.
“The excitement is more than I can describe,” Nivens said. “I’ve been trying to keep myself busy to keep myself from going crazy. I’ve been working out, doing a lot of hitting and trying to keep my mind off it.
“I’ll probably watch it with some family and a few close friends. Whatever happens, happens.”
Along with being one of only six Bears to win Valley Player of the Year honors, Nivens undoubtedly would be at or near the top of the list of most-improved players in program history. He credits the coaching staff with developing his skills.
“They developed me into the player I am today. It’s one of the best coaching staffs in the country and I give them all the credit,” Nivens said.
‘It's a pretty incredible story'
Hawkins, who played for two NCAA regional teams at Missouri State and had a brief professional playing career with the Cardinals before going into coaching, called Nivens one of the hardest-working players he’s seen.
“He’s a player who isn’t scared of anything and rises to the occasion,” Hawkins said. “From a guy who redshirted and was trying to make the team his sophomore year, who came in as an infielder and then learned to play center fielder, and being a freshman All-American and then Valley Player of the Year … it’s a pretty incredible story.
“The guy couldn’t be more ready for professional baseball with the ability to go one at-bat at a time. He’s very professional with his work and never gets too high and never gets too low.”
Nivens’ consistency in his two seasons on the active roster was notable. He hit .345 in 2022 and .341 last season while seeing his home run total jump from 11 to 14, doubles go from 12 to 16 and triples from one to six. A high school infielder, he also improved defensively in center field, earning a spot on the Valley’s all-defensive team this past season.
Nivens checks a lot of boxes, on the field and off
Guttin said pro scouts believe Nivens’ bat-to-ball skills will translate seamlessly to the professional level.
“He doesn’t chase bad pitches out of the strike zone or swing and miss often,” Guttin said.
Added Hawkins: “He did just about everything he needed to do on the field. A ton of scouts were into our place throughout the year, interviewing him on the phone. He checks a lot of boxes as well off the field, as a person.”
Also a Valley commissioner’s all-academic selection, the Columbia Rock Bridge High School alum recently attended the MLB Combine at Chase Field in Phoenix. There, teams interviewed the prospects extensively, along with viewing their physical skills.
“A lot of it was them asking me what I thought about my own game. Seeing how I think. Lots of it was me talking instead of them,” Nivens said.
‘This is why you grow up playing the game'
There is the outside chance that Nivens, who officially has two college seasons of eligibility remaining, could return to Missouri State if he doesn’t feel the right fit with the team selecting him, or if the financial numbers aren’t right.
But clearly, for the young man who had to go the extra mile to earn a Division I roster spot, the dream of professional baseball is nearing reality.
“It’s tough seeing the seniors leaving and having the possibility of not coming back to college,” Nivens said. “But this is why you grow up playing the game. You grow up watching professional players and you want to do that someday.
“Having this opportunity in front of me, it’s been a dream of mine forever and hopefully I’ll be able to fulfill it.”
