Decker plans to sign with Boston after being selected in the second round of the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft last Monday.
Seneca High School senior Nick Decker will be trading green for red in the next stage of his baseball career.
Last Monday, Decker was selected in the second round of the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft. The Boston Red Sox selected him with the 64th overall pick toward the end of the draft’s first day. MLB.com ranked Decker as the 74th best prospect in the draft class heading into last week.
Decker plans to sign with the Red Sox and forgo his commitment to the University of Maryland. Major League Baseball’s recommended signing bonus for the slot where Decker was selected is approximately $1 million.
“It was an unbelievable feeling,” Decker said of hearing his name called. “It really didn’t feel real because it was a dream come true.”
Congratulations to Nick Decker on his selection by the Boston Red Sox at pick 64 overall! @SenecaFamily is proud of you! @ndecker26 https://t.co/G7CnDRID6D
Entering Monday night, Decker knew he was likely to be picked sometime in the second round. He invited a number of his family members, close friends and long-time coach Guy Lynam to his home for the draft.
Decker said he spent the first few hours of the draft relaxing and enjoying the company, as he knew he wouldn’t be picked in the first round. After the first round concluded, Decker received a call from the Red Sox saying they were interested in selecting him with the 64th overall pick. The pick was officially announced shortly before 11:30 p.m.
Decker said his favorite memory from the night was hearing his name called live on the draft broadcast and being able to share it with the people who have supported him since he was a kid.
“I’m so thankful they were there to share that moment with me,” Decker said. “It was unforgettable.”
Decker entered 2018 as the highest ranked draft prospect in New Jersey, with his biggest strength being his power. In 2017, Perfect Game scouting service measured Decker’s exit velocity, the speed which the ball comes off of the bat, at 99 miles per hour, among the highest of all players in the 2018 draft class. Prior to the high school season, Seneca head coach Jay Donoghue said Decker’s exit velocity had been measured as high as 105 miles per hour.
Prior to the 2018 high school season, Decker had hit eight career varsity home runs over two seasons and had a season-best batting average of .381 in 2017. Decker trumped all of those numbers this spring, finishing the season with a .468 batting average, seven home runs and 24 runs batted in. Decker put up career high numbers despite walking 34 times, nearly as much as the previous two seasons combined.
Decker’s solid play helped Seneca win the South Jersey Group III championship, the team’s first sectional title since 2011. With Seneca making a deep run into the playoffs, Decker acknowledged he was more focused on helping the Golden Eagles win than the upcoming draft.
“I really didn’t think about it much at all,” he said. “We won the sectional title on Friday (before the draft) and reporters after the game were asking about it. It didn’t even cross my mind.”
Less than 24 hours after being drafted, Decker took the field for Seneca one last time in the NJSIAA Group III state semifinals against Allentown High School. The Golden Eagles’ season ended with a 13–0 loss.
Decker said while being drafted is a huge accomplishment, it’s just one step of many he’ll have to take to reach his ultimate dream of playing in the major leagues.
“My dream as a kid wasn’t just to be drafted,” Decker said. “It was to play in the big leagues.”
“I’m just really excited to start the process and get to the big leagues as fast as I can so I can call Fenway Park my home,” he added.
