By John Nolan
PBR Virginia/DC

Marshall LHP and 2014 Top Prospect Games participant Nick Cintron has committed to attend Cornell in the fall of 2016. Cintron is the third member of Marshall’s 2016 class to commit to play school in college, joining Steven Johel (RHP, Coastal Carolina) and Nathaniel Scheinman (RHP, Skidmore). The Statesmen are coming off of a banner 2015 season, which saw them reach the 5A State Championship Game before falling to Stone Bridge. Marshall finished the season ranked No. 15 in the Prep Baseball Report Virginia/DC Power 25, and the Statesmen will have to replace a very deep and talented group of seniors, which included Mitch Blackstone (C, Cornell), Matt Borowski (3B, St. Bonaventure), William Brooke (RHP, Coastal Carolina), Mark Leduc (RHP, Ursinus), Matt Rosenberg (RHP, Penn State-Harrisburg), and Shane Russell (1B, Lynchburg). Marshall will again have a good pitching staff this spring, and that should help the Statesmen transition to a new core of position players while remaining one of the stronger teams in the 5A North.

At the Top Prospect Games in November 2014, Cintron stood 6-foot-2 and had an athletic frame that he could add weight to. He threw from a low three-quarters slot and had a short, loose arm action. His mechanics were smooth and he landed closed, creating a classic low slot lefty crossfire. Cintron’s fastball had heavy run to it and sat 78-79, touching 80. He threw a big 2/8 slider at 68-69 that he commanded well. Cintron also threw a change-up with full arm speed that had a lot of run on it that came in at 68-74.

When he arrives at Cornell, Cintron will be able to immediately help as a lefty out of the bullpen who will be very tough on lefthanded hitters and be able to beat righthanded hitters with his change-up. As his career progresses, Cintron will at least be an effective bullpen option and has the potential to develop into a weekend starter as he fills out his frame and adds velocity while on a college strength program.