Major League Baseball Pitcher and Broadcaster Grateful for Years at St. John’s

He played 18 professional seasons, including 10 in the major leagues in four countries. He has called games in nearly every major city in the US and is grateful to the organizations that gave him an opportunity. Most importantly, he has never forgotten the one opportunity that opened all those doors to him: being a star pitcher for the St. John’s University Baseball team.

A native of Suffern, NY, Mr. Nitkowski came from a family of baseball fans whose primary allegiance was to the New York Yankees. “We caught a few Opening Days at Yankee Stadium and that started my love for the game,” he recalled, adding that he started playing organized baseball around the second grade.

He was converted to a full-time pitcher in his sophomore year at Don Bosco Prep high school in Ramsey, NJ. “I made the varsity team that year and realized my hitting days were behind me,” he joked, adding that while he couldn’t hit at the varsity level or in college, he eventually managed to eke out two hits in the major leagues.

Initially, Mr. Nitkowski attended Florida Atlantic University and pitched for their baseball team. Feeling homesick, he decided to transfer but wasn’t sure what opportunities lay ahead since he had a disappointing season.

A 1992 trip to watch Providence University play St. John’s in the BIG EAST Tournament proved fateful. Mr. Nitkowski was considering Providence, but he met a high school classmate who was now playing for St. John’s at that game.

“I told him I was thinking about Providence, and he called over Edward LaMarr, the pitching coach at St. John’s,” he said. “After a little back and forth, he offered me a scholarship.”

“St. John’s changed everything for me. It didn’t make sense if you were to look at it objectively. I came to St. John’s after a bad first year where I had more walks than strikeouts and wasn’t a hard thrower, but a lot happened.”

He loved his St. John’s teammates, two of whom are still his closest friends. “They were really driven, and we pushed each other. It was my first time in an environment of friendly competition and working hard.”

He added that their level of commitment “tapped into some new things. I started seeing a bump in velocity.” During that first year, the team traveled to California to play in a tournament against teams like Clemson and Arizona State University.

“My first start for St. John’s was against Clemson, and we beat them,” he said. “It was a big deal to beat a nationally ranked team.”

Mr. Nitkowski won his second game in relief against Arizona State. Upon his return to New York, he got a call from a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers and realized major league eyes were now upon him.

“That trip and the phone call that followed was a monumental moment in my career,” he recalled. “I was trending in a much different direction than I was 12 months prior.”

Of note, Mr. Nitkowski also met his wife Megan (’96Ed) at St. John’s. “We started dating within a year. That was that. She’s never complained about the lifestyle or the travel.” He credits his wife as the stabilizing and supportive force who grounded the family and motivated him to keep performing at a level necessary to remain in the majors.

The baseball team won the BIG EAST finals in 1993, and Mr. Nitkowski steadily improved the following season. In 1994, he was drafted ninth in the first round by the Cincinnati Reds and remains the highest baseball draft pick St. John’s ever produced. He was immediately promoted to Double A ball—a rarity for a player right out of college.

“The minor leagues are a different experience, especially coming from a place like St. John’s, which was very competitive and about the team winning. In the minors, winning is nice, but everybody’s trying to advance their careers. It’s also a little laid back.”

That same year, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan made his abortive attempt to conquer baseball, and Mr. Nitkowski found himself facing the legendary icon, “which was wild after where I was two years prior, having a bad year at a Division II school.” Mr. Nitkowski struck him out a few times, “but I also walked him a few times, which was unforgivable,” he laughed.

Jim Bowden, the Reds General Manager, saw great potential in Mr. Nitkowski. After a strong showing in Triple A, he promoted him to the big club in June 1995—a year after his last start for St. John’s. He made his second appearance in relief against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the last batter lined out to Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin. Mr. Nitkowski called his St. John’s teammates, who were incredulous. “They said, ‘Barry Larkin’s your shortstop?’”

That year, Mr. Nitkowski made seven starts, notching his first victory against Curt Schilling and the Philadelphia Phillies. He fared poorly in his last three starts and was sent back down to the minors. That same year he was traded to the Detroit Tigers, which began a decade-long odyssey that saw him pitch for eight major league teams, that also included the Houston Astros, the New York Mets, his beloved Yankees, the Texas Rangers, the Atlanta Braves, and the Washington Nationals.

“In my first year I played in four different cities for two organizations,” he said. “That set the tone for the rest of my career. It became second nature to some degree.”

A left-handed relief specialist, Mr. Nitkowski’s primary role with each team was often to come in, get a left-handed batter out, and leave the game.

Mr. Nitkowski fondly recalls his time playing for both New York teams. He was traded to the Mets in September 2001, shortly before the 9/11 attacks. “To play for a New York team at that time was something,” he reflected. “I wish [the attacks] never happened, but it was meaningful to pitch in and help the community. I had a great seat for that first game back in New York and the Mike Piazza home run. It was special.”

In 2004, Mr. Nitkowski was looking for a minor league opportunity and personally called the Yankees. They signed him to a minor league deal and brought him up midseason.

“I was floored,” he said. “At that point, I had been in many different spots and lived the dream, but that was a moment that will always stick out. I was super excited that I would be a New York Yankee at least for one day.”

After spending 2006 in Triple A, Mr. Nitkowski seized an opportunity to play in Japan. “My family and I loved it,” he recalled. “We spent three years there. I had two kids at the time. We really enjoyed the culture and the fans.”

He added that for the last eight years of his career, he thought each opportunity might be the last. Reluctantly, he accepted an offer to play in South Korea, which he also enjoyed very much. “I feel super grateful to have experienced both countries.”

Mr. Nitkowski tore his rotator cuff in 2010 but returned that same season and played winter ball in the Dominican Republic. In 2012, he made yet another comeback, and after a stint in the Mets minor league system and more winter ball in the Dominican Republic, he called it a career in 2013.

“I just kept fighting as long as I could to pitch as long as I could,” he explained. “It wasn’t fun then, but it was hugely helpful in my broadcast career. I’ve met so many different people and experienced the game in so many ways with so many great players, it has all helped shape me as a broadcaster.”

He added, “Growing up, I was always enamored with the media. Once I was playing professionally, I took an interest in it. I always asked a lot of questions.” He also took advantage of several opportunities while still a player. “Not being a big name, I would have to work a little harder to get those opportunities.”

Mr. Nitkowski is also recognized as the first major leaguer to establish his own personal website in 1997. “It’s always important to be curious as a broadcaster.”

Like his itinerant baseball career, Mr. Nitkowski quickly became a jack of all trades: hosting a studio show for FOX Sports 1, serving as an analyst for CBS Sports, hosting a radio show on MLB Network Radio, and writing for FOXSports.com. After six successful years as an analyst for the 2023 world champion Texas Rangers, he accepted an offer in December to work in the booth for the Atlanta Braves. After years of constant travel, he will finally be close to home.

“I love the business,” Mr. Nitkowski stressed, adding he prefers being a broadcaster for one team. “It’s a little more stable. I took to it right away. It allows you a chance to be locked in with one fan base and be that recognizable voice we all had growing up.”

St. John’s is never far from Mr. Nitkowski’s thoughts. On January 26, he will emcee the University’s annual Bullpen Winter Banquet, which raises funds for the St. John’s Baseball program, a duty he has performed several times.

“My personality changed at St. John’s,” he reflected. “I learned what it meant to dig in and be a fighter, to do whatever it takes to last as long as possible. I got many opportunities and being a first-round pick certainly helped with that. I tried to make the most of every one of them.”