At the time of his selection, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound junior shortstop and right-handed pitcher had led the Cougars to a 16-2 record entering the Cook Inlet Conference tournament. Niclai batted .581 with six home runs, 23 RBI and 33 runs scored, including a 1.899 OPS. He also compiled a 3-0 record in 15 innings pitched with a 1.40 ERA and a 35-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The returning Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year and ranked as the nation’s No. 162 prospect in the Class of 2027 by Perfect Game, he set the Cook Inlet Conference single-season home run record this past season and recorded the most strikeouts in a single game (17) since the CIC introduced a pitch clock in 2018.
Niclai has maintained a 3.26 GPA in the classroom. He has made a verbal commitment to play baseball on scholarship at Arizona State University beginning in the fall of 2027.
Niclai has volunteered locally as a youth baseball coach and mentor.
