Cameron Nickens Makes Immediate Impact in Peoria Debut

The Cardinal Chronicle
Cameron Nickens Makes Immediate Impact in Peoria Debut
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

Cameron Nickens did not waste any time making his presence felt in High-A.

Nickens earned The Cardinal Chronicle’s MiLB Player of the Day honors after collecting three hits and launching a solo home run in his Peoria debut Saturday night, helping the Chiefs power past Cedar Rapids, 7-2, at Dozer Park.

For a player just assigned to Peoria from Palm Beach, that is about as strong of a first impression as a club can ask for.

Nickens capped his night with a solo homer in the seventh inning, giving the Chiefs another run of separation after they had already taken control of the game with a five-run third inning. It was the kind of debut that immediately gets attention — three hits, a home run and a role in a convincing win.

Peoria had no shortage of candidates Saturday night. Cade McGee delivered a two-run homer in the third inning, Jesús Báez continued swinging a hot bat, and the Chiefs’ pitching staff held Cedar Rapids to two runs. But Nickens’ three-hit night in his first game with the club stood above the rest.

The Cardinals promoted Nickens to Peoria on May 22, and one day later he was already in the middle of a Chiefs win. That matters. Moving up a level can bring an adjustment period, especially for young hitters facing better pitching and tighter execution, but Nickens looked comfortable right away.

That does not guarantee anything going forward, of course. Baseball has a way of humbling folks before they get too comfortable. But Saturday night was a fine opening statement.

Three hits. A home run. A High-A debut. A Peoria win.

That earns Cardinal Chronicle MiLB Player of the Day honors.

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports