Rock Bridge alum drafted by Royals in fifth round of MLB Draft

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Rock Bridge baseball alum Spencer Nivens is staying home for his professional career. The Kansas City Royals drafted Nivens with the No. 142 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB Draft.

Nivens went to college at Missouri State, where he posted a Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year season in 2023. The outfielder hit 14 home runs in his redshirt sophomore season and tallied 45 RBI, along with 36 extra-base hits. In that season, he also hit for the cycle, which was the first time that had happened in program history since 1998.

In his high school years, he was a highly regarded recruit in Missouri. He was Missouri's No. 3 prep shortstop in the class of 2020. As a junior with the Bruins, he earned All-State honors after hitting .381 with 45 hits and 38 runs scored, while leading Rock Bridge to a 29-8 mark and a state quarterfinal appearance.