Niman, Moore Named NCBWA Preseason All-America

Kentucky left-handed pitcher Dominic Niman has been named First-Team Preseason All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), it was announced Tuesday. Right-hander Mason Moore commanded a spot on the third-team.

Niman, a graduate transfer from Central Connecticut State, had a sensational 2023 season in which he went 12-2 with a 2.77 earned run average in 104 innings over 15 starts. He had two complete games, allowed just 86 hits and struck out 94, earning Collegiate Baseball Second-Team and ABCA/Rawlings Third-Team All-America and NCBWA All-Northeast Region honors.

The 6-foot-3 southpaw from West Hartford, Connecticut was the Division I Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year and Northeast Conference tournament most valuable player in 2023. He led CCSU into the NCAA Tournament.

For his career, Niman is 16-9 in 213.0 innings over 49 appearances (29 starts) with two saves and a 3.25 ERA.

Moore, who led Kentucky with four saves last season, was voted to the third team after a dominating close to 2023 in which he threw 15 scoreless innings in the NCAA Tournament. The Morehead, Kentucky native finished 4-1 with a 1.80 ERA in 55.0 innings over 22 appearances and allowed just 31 hits.

The junior allowed just two runs over his final 10 outings (28 innings) and held eventual national champion LSU’s high-powered offense to no runs on two hits in 4.1 innings in the Super Regional. He had five hitless innings versus Ball State and five more scoreless innings to close the Regional Championship game.

For his career, Moore is 5-1 with a 3.04 ERA in 77.0 innings and his 5.07 hits allowed per nine innings is the best in school history for pitchers with at least 75.0 innings pitched.

Kentucky opens its season Friday, February 16 at USC Upstate.