Conard, CCSU’s Dominic Niman chosen by Tampa Bay Rays in MLB Draft

Former Conard High School and Central Connecticut State star Dominic Niman was chosen by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 18th round of the MLB Draft on Tuesday.

A 6-foot-3 lefthanded pitcher, Niman was terrific in three full seasons at Central from 2021-23, posting a 3.25 ERA and striking out 189 batters in 213 innings. He helped lead the Blue Devils to the NCAA Tournament in 2021 and ’23.

The West Hartford native then transferred to Kentucky ahead of this season, and he was thought of as one of the top transfer portal adds in the country as a graduate student, even being named a First Team Preseason All-American by the National College Baseball Writers’ Association.

Niman struggled this season however, finishing 8-5 with a 6.82 ERA in 71 innings, though he did help the Wildcats (46-16) to their first College World Series appearance in school history .

Niman was an all-conference pitcher while at Conard in 2017 and ’18.