Stepping up to the plate, Camden Nishnick (11) was named April Athlete of the Month. As an outfielder and first baseman, Nishnick competes on the varsity baseball team as a defensively versatile power hitter. In addition to playing baseball with the school, he participates in travel baseball with the Kansas City Royals Scout Team.

Nishnick described the award as “pretty cool,” but emphasized his ultimate goal in playing baseball.

“[I’m] just trying to win games,” Nishnick said. “I’m a competitive person, so winning is definitely number one. I just try to hit the ball hard when I’m up to bat, and just do my job every time I get on the field.”

However, Nishnick shared that he had to overcome challenges early in the season.

“At the beginning of the season, I wasn’t doing too well,” Nishnick said. “I just had to … reset, and it worked out at the end of the day.”

Regardless of performance, Nishnick enjoys playing baseball because he gets to  spend time with his friends.

Jason Jutronich (12), Nishnick’s teammate, and a pitcher on the team, recognized his growth throughout the years, as well as his potential in the future.

“Freshman and sophomore year, he was kind of like a giraffe,” Jutronich said. “He wasn’t really grown into his body; he looked clumsy, but he kind of figured it out, and eventually, stuff clicked for him, and in my opinion, he [is] probably one of the best hitters in San Diego right now. He’s heating up, and he’s got all the tools to be a [Division I] player and have a future within the game.”

According to Jutronich, Nishnick’s best quality is his resilience at the plate.

“When he comes up, everyone knows that something is going to happen,” Jutronich said. “He always puts a ball in play. He doesn’t strike out a lot, [he] moves guys over and we score runs off of him.”

Varsity head coach Chris Possemato also recognized Nishnick’s offensive skills, emphasizing his approach at the plate.

“When he gets in the Nishnick was primarily a first baseman, but now plays in the outfield as well, spending most of his time at left field. Possemato highlighted Nishnick’s ability to switch positions in order to adapt to the team’s needs. 

“He’s been shockingly good in the outfield,” Possemato said. “His arm is really good, so now it’s opened up a position at first [base], where we can get another bat in the lineup.”

Some describe baseball as a mentally demanding game, where focus must complement physical talent. Possemato highlighted Nishnick’s growth in this area alongside his maturity.

“He’s continuing to grow,” Possemato said. “He’s growing up. He’s getting a better approach at the plate each game. That comes with experience and trusting the process instead of worrying about results. He’s gotten so much more mature in how he’s handling the good stuff, and then the adversity.”

As a student-athlete, Nishnick explained the challenges of managing time.

“I don’t really have a lot of free time,” Nishnick said. “I have practice, go home, eat dinner normally and then just do my homework and go to bed.”

While he is already a starter for the varsity team, Nishnick still has a year left on the team. Possemato is looking forward to seeing his performance.

“I’m super confident every time he comes up,” Possemato said. “He’s having a great year this year, but he’s got a chance to have [a] monster senior year, and I’m just pleased with his offense, but also the fact that he’s added to our team [defensively] in left field.”