Top Stories of 2019-20: Pro Teams Come Calling for Nicolas and Pinter

While the 2019-20 year of competition may have been cut short by COVID-19, there were still plenty of accomplishments to celebrate in Ball State Athletics.

Through much discussion, BallStateSports.com has identified the top storylines of the year. We will unveil each of them one-by-one in the coming days.

The stories will be revealed in chronological order, starting with the fall season. We continue today with a look back at the rise of a pair of Ball State student-athletes who were picked in the NFL and MLB Drafts this spring.

Kyle Nicolas Selected by Miami Marlins, Danny Pinter Drafted by Indianapolis Colts
There was plenty of buzz around both Danny Pinter and Kyle Nicolas heading into their respective senior athletic seasons. Professional scouts were coming to watch Pinter during fall football practice. He made the move from tight end to offensive tackle just a year prior and truly blossomed. To make that move even remotely possible, Pinter added 40 pounds to his frame in the winter of 2018.

Pinter started all 24 games on the offensive line for the Cardinals in 2018 and 2019. The native of South Bend, Indiana, was named first team all-conference and team most outstanding player following his senior season. He then made plenty of noise at the NFL Combine by putting up some of the best numbers by any linemen in attendance.

Come time for the NFL Draft, many pundits had Pinter rated as a mid-round selection. He was the first player from the Mid-American Conference picked in the draft when the Indianapolis Colts took him early in the fifth round. Pinter, the first Ball State player selected in the NFL Draft since 2014, is now expected to compete on the interior of the Colts offensive line.

South Bend ?? Muncie ?? Indianapolis

??: NFLN/ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/4MVrH66uwL
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) April 25, 2020

Nicolas came to Ball State with plenty of potential on the pitcher's mound and with the goal of playing at the next level. Right from his first start, it was obvious Nicolas had the ability to make hitters look helpless at the plate. He fanned nine batters while only allowing one hit in his Ball State debut in February 2018.

As a sophomore in 2019, Nicolas split time between a starter and the team's closer. The righty from Massillon, Ohio, ranked sixth in the league in strikeouts (82) and finished the season with six saves. He went on to play in the top collegiate baseball summer league, the Cape Cod League, and thrived for the Cotuit Kettleers. Cotuit took home the league title as Nicolas racked up 40 strikeouts in 30.1 innings pitched.

Nicolas' stock continued to rise this past spring before COVID-19 hit, highlighted by a 17-strikeout performance against Sacred Heart on March 6. Prior to the MLB Draft, MLB.com named him the top rated prospect in the state of Indiana. A normal MLB Draft has 40 rounds but was trimmed to just five rounds this June. That made no difference to Nicolas, who was selected by the Miami Marlins 61st overall in the second round. He became the 11th Ball State player to be picked in the first three rounds of the draft.

Seen anything good on TV? Here's our top recommendation.@kylenicolas19 @CoachMaloney @BTBeem24 @Marlins @BallState @PresidentMearns @CoachScully19 pic.twitter.com/pe02ONCbvS
— Ball State Baseball (@BallStateBB) June 12, 2020

Other Top Stories from 2019-20
June 29 – Men's Golfers Make Opening Statement at Golfweek Event
June 30 – Football Wins Pair of Rivalry Trophies
July 1 – Rife Leads Cardinals to Record-Breaking Debut Season
July 2 – Women's Volleyball Wins MAC Tournament Championship
July 6 – Gymnastics Sets School Records
July 7 – Men's Basketball Routs Georgia Tech
July 8 – Track & Field Shines at MAC Indoor Championships
July 9 – Women's Basketball Tops NCAA List for Biggest Turnaround
July 10 – Milestone Wins for Bill Richards and Joel Walton

Top Stories of 2019-20: Pro Teams Come Calling for Nicolas and Pinter

Players Mentioned

Kyle Nicolas

Danny Pinter

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