Dominic Niman, a 2018 graduate of West Hartford’s Conard High School who played baseball at Central Connecticut State University and the University of Kentucky, was drafted by Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays this week in the 18th round.

By Ronni Newton

At an early age West Hartford native Dom Niman was impressing coaches with his pitching ability, and after years of hard work, this week his prowess on the mound led to an opportunity that few achieve. Niman was selected Tuesday by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 18th round of the 2024 Major League Baseball draft.

“This is definitely a dream come true,” Niman told We-Ha.com. “Anybody who plays baseball and really cares about it wants this,” he said, adding that he’s still in that stage where it feels surreal. “I don’t know if it’s really sunk in yet.”

Niman, a lefty who graduated from Conard High School in 2018, is the sixth Conard alum to be chosen in the MLB draft. Two Conard alumni who graduated in the 1960s signed free agent contracts, and including Niman, a total of eight have now gone on play baseball at the highest level.

After graduating from Conard, Niman went on to play baseball at Division I Central Connecticut State University. He was red-shirted his freshman year, and then played four seasons while earning his degree in communications with a minor in psychology. Because of COVID-19, however, he had an extra year of eligibility remaining and decided to enter the transfer portal as a graduate student and make the jump to SEC powerhouse Kentucky, one of the country’s premier programs.

Dominic Niman pitched vs. Campbell on June 4, 2023. Photo credit: Steve McLaughlin Photography/CCSU Athletics

“After my last season at Central, I had a pretty good year, and sat down with my coaches and talked about entering the transfer portal,” he said. Kentucky was one of the teams that reached out. After visiting, “I fell in love with it,” he said.

Just being part of a D1 school like Kentucky gets you seen by MLB scouts who are following multiple players, Niman said. Seven members of the 2024 baseball team at the University of Kentucky were drafted this year.

Dominic Niman. Kentucky beats Western Michigan 10-8 in the NCAA Lexington Regional.
Photo by Ethan Rand | UK Athletics. Courtesy of University of Kentucky Athletics

Growing up, Niman played in the West Hartford Youth Baseball League. He always pitched, he said, but he also hit and played in the field. Around his junior or senior year of high school, he said, he started thinking maybe he was better at pitching than hitting.

His former coach at Conard recalled Niman’s contributions to the team.

“I met Dominic in 2016 when I became the head coach at Conard and he immediately impressed me as a varsity level player,” former Conard head baseball coach Sanjay Rambhia said. “Dominic made the varsity roster as a sophomore and was a three-year varsity starter between 2016-2018. Conard baseball was coming through a rough time and players like Dominic helped turn the Conard baseball program around. Dominic was a bulldog on the mound with a fire to win but also had success as a hitter and as a fielder, playing outfield and first base. When Dominic took the mound, wearing his No. 2 jersey, the team fed off his confidence and Conard was nearly unbeatable. As a coach, having Dominic as a starting pitcher once per week or in the bullpen made my job easier.”

Conard varsity baseball team in 2016. Dominic Niman (top right) was a sophomore. Photos by Patty Swanson

Rambhia said Niman’s first win as a varsity pitcher was in his sophomore year, in 2016, vs. University High School. “Dom threw a complete game (five innings) striking out nine and walking two in a 14-1 victory.”

Some other highlights noted by Rambhia include: “In 2017, Dom went 6 2/3 innings vs. Newington in a 2-1 victory in front of a home crowd to show that Conard baseball was becoming a force, and in 2018 earning the victory vs. Hall in our pink out game 10-0. And, in the Mayor’s Cup game in 2018, in which Dom pitched 6 2/3 innings, dueling against [future Dartmouth pitcher Chase Jeter, and driving in Nick Gagliotti with the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 11th inning in which Conard won 3-2.”

Dominic Niman pitched five innings for Conard, striking out nine. Conard vs. Hall ‘Strike Out Cancer,’ May 2, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton (we-ha.com file photo)

Niman was All-Conference as a junior and senior at Conard, and Mayor’s Cup MVP as a senior in 2018. He won the Conard Golden Bat Award in 2017 (his junior year) and the Conard Golden Arm Award as a senior in 2018.

Dominic Niman pitched 6.2 innings for Conard. Conard vs. Hall Mayor’s Cup. May 21, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton (we-ha.com file photo)

Some of Niman’s statistics, provided by coaches and athletic departments at CCSU and the University of Kentucky:

• Conard junior year (2017) – Pitching: 3-3, 32 innings. 31 K’s, 11BB’s. 1.53 ERA and 0.211 opposing BA. Batting: 0.426 BA with 7 DBL’s, 2 TPLs and 8 RBIs
• Conard senior year (2018) – Pitching: 4-2, 1 save, 37 2/3 innings. 50 K’s, 21BB’s. 1.13 ERA and 0.139 opposing BA.
• 49 appearances at CCSU with 29 starts; 213 innings; 189 strikeouts
• 2023 Stats at CCSU: 12-2 record; 2.77 ERA; 104 innings; 15 starts; 2 complete games; 94 strikeouts
• 2023 ABCA/Rawlings Third Team All-America
• 2023 NCBWA All-Northeast Region First Team
• 2023 Second Team All-America Collegiate Baseball
• 2023 ECAC Pitcher of the Year
• 2023 NEC Tournament MVP
• 2023 All-NEC 1^st Team
• 2023 D1 Baseball #76 Impact Transfer
• 2024 NCBWA First Team Preseason All-American
• 2024 Stats at Kentucky: 8-5 record; 6.86 ERA; 71 innings; 16 starts; 1 complete game; 67 strikeouts
• Southeast Conference Pitcher of the Week following a 3-hit shutout against Alabama on April 6

“It’s been a crazy ride to get here,” Niman said. His days in youth baseball and at Conard seem like “forever ago,” he said.

Niman heads to Tampa on Tuesday for his initial introduction to the Rays. He’ll have a physical and learn where he will play for the remaining weeks of the minor league season. He’ll arrive with a ready set of friends – with three of Kentucky’s seven MLB draftees chosen by Tampa Bay. Starting pitcher Trey Pooser was drafted by the Rays in the 10th round, while second baseman Emilien Pitre was a second-round pick.

“I never had anywhere specific in mind. It was whatever organization was willing to give me a chance,” he said about being chosen by the Rays – although he said he will remain a staunch Patriots fan.

Niman is the oldest of four children – all of whom are accomplished athletes. One of his sisters plays soccer at Central, and his other sister participated in track and field for her first two years at Springfield College. His brother, Jeff, just finished his freshman year at West Hartford’s Hall High School – and was already playing varsity baseball.

“Congratulations on being selected in the 2024 MLB draft. Conard baseball and the coaching staff are very proud of you and your success,” Rahmbia said.

The following Conard alumni have played professional baseball:

• 1964: Gary Lindholtz, Class of 1964 (signed free agent contract; there was no draft until 1965)
• 1970: Fran Spadola, Class of 1965 (signed a free agent contract)
• 1975: Gary LaRocque, Class of 1971 (drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers)
• 1978: Matt Sinatro, Class of 1978 (drafted by the Atlanta Braves ahead of Hall of Fame players Cal Ripken, Jr. and Ryne Sandberg)
• 1982: Ron Morander, Class of 1980 (drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals)
• 1984: David Crossley, Class of 1981 (drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals)
• 2014: Chris DeMorais, Class of 2010 (drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays)
• 2024: Dom Niman, Class of 2018 (drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays)

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