BEFORE PURDUE
• Pitched at Illinois-Springfield from 2018 to 2020
• Graduated with his bachelor's degree in accounting in May 2020
• Pitched for the Eau Claire Express of the Northwoods League in the summer of 2019
• Attended Illinois State from the fall of 2015 to the spring of 2017, redshirting during the 2016 season due to Tommy John surgery
• Was off to an excellent start at UIS in 2020 when the season was shut down in March, registering a 0.64 ERA and 18 strikeouts vs. 8 hits allowed in 14 innings
• Helped UIS qualify for the NCAA Division II Tournament in 2018, pitching in three postseason games
• Pitched in 18 games in 2019, recording four saves and 26 strikeouts in 18 innings
• Appeared in 14 games total in his first season at UIS, recording a 2.51 ERA during the regular season and .150 batting average against
• Impressed in the Northwoods League, compiling four wins, two saves and a .286 ERA over 14 appearances while registering 64 strikeouts vs. 47 hits allowed in 63 innings pitched
• Pitched in six games for Illinois State in 2017, making his collegiate debut during the season-opening weekend
• Made four straight scoreless appearances in 2017 through mid-April
• Named to Illinois State’s AFNI honor roll
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year letterwinner for coach Brian Driskell at Grain Valley High School on the eastern edge of the Kansas City area
• Also played three years of basketball and two years of football
• Second-team all-conference and academic all-conference as senior, batting .377 with a 1.30 ERA
• Compiled a 3.10 ERA while batting .317 as a junior
• Also averaged 12.3 points and 7.1 assists per game as a junior on the basketball court
• National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society
PERSONAL
• Major: Management / Accounting (Master’s Program)
• Full name is Nikolas David Alvarado
• Born in Blue Springs, Missouri
• Parents are Alekos and Tiffany Alvarado
• Family also includes younger sister Makenzie
Purdue Personal Preferences
Favorite Pro Team: Kansas City Royals
Traditionally Roots Against (Pro Rival): St. Louis Cardinals
Favorite Athlete: Zack Greinke
Had the Biggest Impact on His Athletic Career: Ryan Copeland, Head Coach at UIS
Favorite Marquee Event: March Madness NCAA Tournament
Favorite Field He’s Played at (Besides Alexander): Wrigley Field
Favorite Pro Stadium: Camp Nou (FC Barcelona)
Toughest Hitters for Him to Face Among Teammates: Skyler Hunter & Ben Nisle
Current MLB Hitter He’d Like to Face: Christian Yelich
Celebrity Crush: Ariana Grande
Podcast He Enjoys: Dan Blewett's Dear Baseball Gods
In His Favorite Playlist: Luke Combs
Would Love to See Them Play Purdue: AC/DC or Metallica
Favorite Multi-Media App: Spotify
Favorite Fantasy Series: Lord of the Rings
Show He Can’t Stop Watching: SpongeBob SquarePants
Favorite Video Games: The Witcher 3 & Fallout New Vegas
Favorite Month: December
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Pick One -- Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner: "Breakfast can be eaten at any point in the day"
Favorite Meal: Steak & Shrimp
Favorite Dessert: Cinnamon Pull-aparts
Favorite Outdoor Activity: Golf
Another Sport He Enjoys Playing: Basketball
Favorite Big City: Kansas City
Unique Travel Locale: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Country He’d Like to Visit: Greece
Pick One for a Trip -- Beaches or Mountains: Beaches
Favorite Thing About Alexander Field: The beautifully kept mound
Favorite Thing About College Baseball: The adrenaline rush of a close game
Enjoyed This Professor's Class: Troy Jones, Accounting
Furry Friend: Mike, Shephard/Lab Mix
• Pitched at Illinois-Springfield from 2018 to 2020
• Graduated with his bachelor's degree in accounting in May 2020
• Pitched for the Eau Claire Express of the Northwoods League in the summer of 2019
• Attended Illinois State from the fall of 2015 to the spring of 2017, redshirting during the 2016 season due to Tommy John surgery
• Was off to an excellent start at UIS in 2020 when the season was shut down in March, registering a 0.64 ERA and 18 strikeouts vs. 8 hits allowed in 14 innings
• Helped UIS qualify for the NCAA Division II Tournament in 2018, pitching in three postseason games
• Pitched in 18 games in 2019, recording four saves and 26 strikeouts in 18 innings
• Appeared in 14 games total in his first season at UIS, recording a 2.51 ERA during the regular season and .150 batting average against
• Impressed in the Northwoods League, compiling four wins, two saves and a .286 ERA over 14 appearances while registering 64 strikeouts vs. 47 hits allowed in 63 innings pitched
• Pitched in six games for Illinois State in 2017, making his collegiate debut during the season-opening weekend
• Made four straight scoreless appearances in 2017 through mid-April
• Named to Illinois State’s AFNI honor roll
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year letterwinner for coach Brian Driskell at Grain Valley High School on the eastern edge of the Kansas City area
• Also played three years of basketball and two years of football
• Second-team all-conference and academic all-conference as senior, batting .377 with a 1.30 ERA
• Compiled a 3.10 ERA while batting .317 as a junior
• Also averaged 12.3 points and 7.1 assists per game as a junior on the basketball court
• National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society
PERSONAL
• Major: Management / Accounting (Master’s Program)
• Full name is Nikolas David Alvarado
• Born in Blue Springs, Missouri
• Parents are Alekos and Tiffany Alvarado
• Family also includes younger sister Makenzie
Purdue Personal Preferences
Favorite Pro Team: Kansas City Royals
Traditionally Roots Against (Pro Rival): St. Louis Cardinals
Favorite Athlete: Zack Greinke
Had the Biggest Impact on His Athletic Career: Ryan Copeland, Head Coach at UIS
Favorite Marquee Event: March Madness NCAA Tournament
Favorite Field He’s Played at (Besides Alexander): Wrigley Field
Favorite Pro Stadium: Camp Nou (FC Barcelona)
Toughest Hitters for Him to Face Among Teammates: Skyler Hunter & Ben Nisle
Current MLB Hitter He’d Like to Face: Christian Yelich
Celebrity Crush: Ariana Grande
Podcast He Enjoys: Dan Blewett's Dear Baseball Gods
In His Favorite Playlist: Luke Combs
Would Love to See Them Play Purdue: AC/DC or Metallica
Favorite Multi-Media App: Spotify
Favorite Fantasy Series: Lord of the Rings
Show He Can’t Stop Watching: SpongeBob SquarePants
Favorite Video Games: The Witcher 3 & Fallout New Vegas
Favorite Month: December
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Pick One -- Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner: "Breakfast can be eaten at any point in the day"
Favorite Meal: Steak & Shrimp
Favorite Dessert: Cinnamon Pull-aparts
Favorite Outdoor Activity: Golf
Another Sport He Enjoys Playing: Basketball
Favorite Big City: Kansas City
Unique Travel Locale: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Country He’d Like to Visit: Greece
Pick One for a Trip -- Beaches or Mountains: Beaches
Favorite Thing About Alexander Field: The beautifully kept mound
Favorite Thing About College Baseball: The adrenaline rush of a close game
Enjoyed This Professor's Class: Troy Jones, Accounting
Furry Friend: Mike, Shephard/Lab Mix