T.J. Nichting at bat against Evansville. Photo by Chris Crews.

Freshman Charlotte second baseman T.J. Nichting has all of the potential to take his baseball career to next level whether it is the minor or the major leagues.

Nichting was born and raised in Hamilton, Ohio.

Coming from a baseball family, as his brother and father were baseball players, one might suspect that the pressure to play baseball would be intense.

His father is a member of the Badin High School Hall of Fame.

When asked if he feels any pressure from his family to succeed in baseball, Nichting said his family always has his back.

“No, I don’t really feel any pressure. They help me a lot and I know that they got my back and they are going help me be the best player that I can be,” said Nichting.

“It gives me more confidence that I know I am going to well.”

Nichting won three regional titles and participated in the Little League World Series.

He was honored with the Greater Catholic Player of the Year in 2013 and the Badin High School Business and Technology Student of the Year for his academic efforts.

Coming to Charlotte to continue his baseball career is the first time he is playing away from his family.

“It is mixed feelings playing away from my family. I love the great weather that we are having right now. It gives me a chance to go outside and get extra practice done as oppose to the cold back home,” said Nichting.

“I get a chance to experience the real world on my own because if I want to continue my baseball career, I need to learn to be away from family at some point.”

Nichting is still adjusting to the transition from high school to college not only from a competitive difference on the baseball field, but also in the classroom.

Nichting quickly realized how different the expectations of a high school baseball player are from a Division I player.

“At the end of the day, baseball is the same game, but the speed of the game changes,” said Nichting.

“The work that is expected of you is a lot higher than in high school. There is a lot of lifting and practice put into it, but if you do your work and get your stuff done, you will do pretty well.”

Charlotte Head Coach Loren Hibbs has seen how well Nichting has adjusted to the life of a college athlete and how confident he has quickly become.

“He is a little dirt bag, and I mean that in the most positive way. He is always looking for ways to get better,” said Hibbs.

“Sometimes the coaches wonder if he is listening because he always says, ‘Yes sir,’ and nods his head like he is, but we do not know. He is very confident in his own abilities.”

Despites the 49ers disappointing start to the season, there is still a lot of baseball left to be played.

Nichting is improving every single game and his attitude towards the season is very positive as far as expectations to the rest of the year.

Nichting is one of three players to have hit at least one home run this season.

“On our team, if you look to the guy next to you and they are an older guy, you want to make sure that you end the game on a good note,” said Nichting.

“If everyone around you is working hard giving it all they have, you should stay motivated no problem. This is college baseball; this is a love. You should not be out there because you have to do it, but because you love the game.”

For Nichting, it is all baseball all the time.

He looks to not only get better on the field, but also to build strong bonds with his teammates to get acclimated in the locker room.

Lucky for Nichting, he’s got other teammates like Mikal Hill to help him out.

“Mikal and I have a lot of good chatter in between innings and during the game. That is the great thing about baseball you know you can have fun and also be serious. We definitely bond playing up the middle a lot.”

Hibbs acknowledges that the young guy still has his quirks, but that he’s learning quickly and always looking for ways to improve both on and off the dirt.

“The team thinks he is weird! He is a little strange sometimes, and I say that in a good way. We need more guys that approach the game the way that he does,” said Hibbs.

“He is not perfect, he makes mistakes and he is a young guy that I expect a lot of. I love the way he embraces the game and watch it to look for ways to get better.”

According to Hibbs, Nichting is at his best when he plays angry. When Hibbs was asked to describe Nichting in three words, “GET A HAIRCUT!”

Nichting is never short of confidence. He believes in his abilities and despite the losing record, he believes in his team.

He is also determined to make a name for himself on this campus.

“I envision the Majors, obviously. I am going to keep working hard and if it happens, it happens. If it does not, it is not the end of the world. I am not going to settle for anything less than that,” said Nichting.

“The thing I want fans to remember me by is hard work and hustle. Someone who stays true to the school and plays for the school. I want fans to look back at my career and say that guy loved the game and always gave it his all on the field.”