Niehaus Looking To ‘Excel’ At Central Michigan

Cameron Niehaus RHP / OF / Divine Child, MI / 2025

CANTON - “I think I can excel there.”

It is just one of a number of reasons that Cameron Niehaus has made a commitment to Central Michigan.

“The number one thing is the coaching staff,” the Divine Child High School senior said about why he decided on CMU as his future home. “Coach (Aaron) Hilt has been super supportive. He explained what he liked about me, saw projectability in me and feels I can make an impact right away. I also really like the school there.”

The 15th-rated 2025 right-handed pitcher in the state made an impression on Central while participating in a Prep Baseball camp at Eastern Michigan.

“I performed well there, hitting 90-something with a good spin rate,” Niehaus reflected. “That led to coach (Adam) Goodwin (Prep Baseball Michigan Director of Scouting) reaching out to them and coach Hilt followed me. He came to two or three of my games, the first was a Prep Baseball tournament in the summer. He saw me some more and then saw me at the Future Games.

“After that I went to a camp there and they made the decision and offered me right after the camp. A week after, I went on a visit and I committed a couple days after that.”

The spin rate is just one area that made CMU take notice of the pitching ability of the 17-year-old.

“They really like my curve,” Niehaus noted. “I’ve really been working on that. He also explained everything that they liked, from my release point to my build and that I have a chance to fill out.”

The 6-3 180-pounder also had in-state offers from Oakland and Northwood along with a “couple Catholic schools in Florida” … but called CMU “the best fit for me” when it comes to his future.

“I was feeling a little stressed,” admitted Niehaus, who was pleased to have made a final decision. “It was hard to process. I’ve put all this work in and then to get an offer, I’m thinking it’s crazy. I finally did it. I can’t wait to see what it’s like there. I think they can really help me get better.”

Strides in his game to this point were a key part of being recognized.

“I’ve improved a lot,” the 35th-rated senior in Michigan explained. “My sophomore year I was throwing in the low, maybe touching mid-80s, and was only 160 pounds. I worked out, tried to gain weight, added more velocity and my pitches are better. I understand the game better.

“I break down videos and my pitching coach Greg Loukinen helped with my offspeed stuff. I feel I’ve put in a lot of work.”

Travel coaches Brian Bush and Greg Ryan along with “everyone” at Ethos Human Performance are credited with making an impact along the way, with his father, Troy, the number one influence on him according to Niehaus.

“He started the dream for me to play baseball as high as I can,” Ethos said about his dad, who played baseball at EMU. “He helped me see the path and always pushed me. I couldn’t be where I am without him.”

Niehaus also pointed to Prep Baseball as benefitted his desire to play at the next level.

“Prep Baseball giving me a ton of exposure really helped,” Niehaus said. “The Future Games was huge with a ton of scouts there.”

It made the goal of college baseball closer to reality.

“Division I was the dream,” Niehaus admitted. “I always wanted to see how far I could go. The beginning of my junior year it started to become realistic and that’s when I really began to take my work seriously.”

A business major is on tap for Niehaus, a 4.3 student in high school ready for what lies ahead at the Mid-American Conference university in Mount Pleasant.

“I’m looking forward to making relationships with my coaches and teammates,” Niehaus concluded. “My dad played at Eastern and he said it was an awesome experience. Heading forward I want to know all the guys and see how far I can go.”