Doug Nikhazy brings impressive resume and talent to Rebel mound competition

OXFORD | In December 2014, Ole Miss started its 2018 signing class with Doug Nikhazy, a 5-foot-10 15-year-old who threw an 86 MPH fastball and had two-way player potential down the line.

Baseball is different from other major men’s sports. Recruiting by other schools, though it’s beginning to change, stops once a commitment is made. There’s an agreement among programs, and the scouting is on hyperdrive, as schools lock up the seemingly can’t-miss prospects as early as possible. It’s impossible to know exactly what will happen in the years ahead, but coaches bet on the athleticism and hope for some additional positives.

Now in the present, 46 months after that commitment, Nikhazy is not only on the mound at Swayze Field, but he’s challenging for a major pitching role as a freshman. The Windermere (West Orange), Florida, native struck out seven in three innings during a Sunday intrasquad and has been up to 93 MPH this fall to go with a curve with depth, a cutter and a changeup. He’s holding hitters to a team-best .077 batting average against and is fine-tuning his goal of working both sides of the plate in order to protect his pitch count and get inside on right-handers.

“There have been butterflies, but it’s the good kind,” Nikhazy said. “Even in intrasquads, there are people in the stands and a radar gun, so I’m ready to go.”

Last week against Delta State, the left-hander struck out two of six batters faced in two perfect innings. “He was the most dominant guy on the day,” Mike Bianco said.

So while all signs point to Nikhazy fulfilling that hope from the four-year commitment on the field, he also brings an immaculate off-the-field resume that wasn’t envisioned when he was recruited. There was no way to know, but it’s an added bonus for Bianco.

"We’re getting early commitments instead of other sports where you’re fighting other teams and you probably learn more of that type of stuff before the player commits or even signs. It’s neat to watch him grow up. When he committed you never knew, but you hope for kids like him.”

Nikhazy was Student Body President at West Orange (also home to former Ole Miss All-American Auston Bousfield), and in addition to starting a fishing club and accomplishing other superlatives, he was the lead in the Warriorthon, a 12-hour dance marathon hosted by his high school that annually donates to Children’s Miracle Network — a non-profit organization that raises money for 170 different children’s hospitals including Le Bonheur in Memphis, Batson in Jackson and Arnold Palmer, which was the recipient of more than $80,000 from the marathon Nikhazy coordinated.

West Orange operates its marathon under the umbrella of UCF’s larger Knight-Thon. Ole Miss annually hosts RebelTHON which benefits Batson.

“We had different fundraisers leading up to the event and a lot of donations happen the night of it,” Nikhazy said. “We all pile into a gym and there’s a $5 entry fee. It lasts 12 hours and you’re not allowed to sit. There are different activities to encourage people to donate money, and we introduce miracle children which is who we are all dancing for...They’d tell us where the money is going and their stories and it gave a lot of motivation for us to help such a great cause.”

Nikhazy is also well-equipped to tell you about it.

He competed in debate tournaments around the country sanctioned by the National Speech and Debate Association. His expertise is in refute debate, and he participated in different events inside Florida as well as at Yale, University of Pennsylvania and University of Colorado.

Nikhazy debated laborious subjects including the NCAA paying athletes, capital gains tax and missile defense systems in South Korea.

“It’s two on two debate and it was rounds that lasted 60 minutes,” Nikhazy said. “It was fun because you couldn’t have a plan. They’d flip a coin to see what side you were on. You had two cases written for both sides of the topic. You had to listen to the other person and say why everything that came out of their mouth was wrong.”

He said Bianco’s mound visits won’t feature any of his speciality. Instead, “it’s only going to be yes sir and no sir with that situation.”

Nikhazy routinely rides a skateboard around campus, but that hasn’t become a safety debate topic with Bianco. The freshman said he brought only one from home but needs his longboard (typically a foot longer than the average skateboard) when he goes back at Christmas because of the cracks in the sidewalk.

"I can get my longboard and cruise a little better,” Nikhazy said. “The wheels are softer so they go over cracks. The skateboard can get stuck in cracks on campus and you can trip and hurt yourself. Coach obviously wouldn’t want that.”

There’s truth there since Nikhazy seems to be on pace for a vital niche with the 2019 Rebels. However, at this point, Bianco, who is going into this 19th season at Ole Miss, isn’t concerned with a freak accident.

“I think he’s pretty good at it, Bianco said. “He’s a neat kid, and you can’t keep them in a bubble.”