Eagles add D3 All-American Nolan Sparks; why he picked BC, how he’ll adapt to the ACC, his journey to The Heights, and more.

Boston College’s historic 2022 season was built on the success of Division Three transfers in the rotation and in the bullpen. Todd Interdonato has decided to take the same approach as he tries to lead the Eagles back to the postseason in 2024.

No addition has as more potential than adding Nolan Sparks, an All-American from the University of Rochester. The five-ten righty leaves the Yellowjackets after a dominant four-year stretch that saw him shatter multiple program records, including strikeouts (248), and win back-to-back Liberty League pitcher of the year awards.

His numbers were eye-popping in his senior year, striking out 80 in 60 innings (12.0 K/9) while only walking 19 (2.85 BB/9). He held opponents to a batting average of just .201 and had a WHIP of 1.07. He had two complete games, one a complete game shutout. Over the course of his college career, the Aurora, Colorado native amassed a 19-5 record and threw over 200 innings.

Why Boston College

When asked how he wanted to introduce himself to the Boston College community he wasted no time expressing why he committed to the school and program, stating that he’s “super excited for the opportunity to come play in BC. It’s a great environment, great city” In addition he cited his relationship with Head Coach Todd Interdonato, who he knew through his head coach at Rochester Joe Reina. Sparks’ visit to campus secured his commitment saying he “knew it was the right place, [a]good coaching staff, [and the] right kind of culture there.

As we’ve seen throughout the offseason the Interdonato hire from last offseason continues to pay off, as his wide range of experience and connections in college baseball has helped him get in the room and land some of the top players in the portal. That combined with BC being located in one of the best baseball and college cities anywhere in the country should be a sustainable draw in recruiting both high schoolers and transfers.

The Move to the ACC

One concern whenever you see a player jump from Division Three to one of the best conferences in college baseball is how their game will translate. Sparks’ arsenal is deep enough that he can find ways to get outs in a variety of ways. Primarily a three-pitch mix of fastball, slider, and curveball; the Colorado native has started to work on adding an additional pitch to the repertoire as he makes the jump. He has a cutter in his back pocket that he throws occasionally and is “learning this kind of splitter, sinker type pitch.” Watching the splitter in some videos from before his spring season, it has a ton of potential. The splitter has a ton of movement and could turn into a putout pitch next season or sometime in the future. Being more consistent with the splitter and cutter is what will keep him as a starter down the road in pro ball.

However, there are some adjustments that Nolan will have to make at the higher level. He called himself an “outlier pitcher” at the Division III level, which is certainly true. Not many guys at that level have a fastball sitting at 95 and can dial it up when needed. According to Sparks his “best put-out pitch right now is my fastball, then my curveball”; which is hard to argue with when there’s that much velocity on the fastball and downward movement on the curve. However, while a mid-nineties fastball is still above average for an ACC starter, its not unheard of and will be something opposing batters are prepared to face. He also has some control issues when trying to dial in and does hang a curveball occasionally from what I have seen. At the Division III level, he is good enough that it did not hurt him too often but in the ACC he’ll need to refine that control if he wants to be as effective. It certainly is possible and it’s not a major weakness in his game, so there’s no cause for concern with it. Just something that Interdonato and pitching coach Ryan Forrest will need to work on this fall/winter.

Pitches and Velos (Bullpen before Spring 2024)

FB; Mid 90s, Topped at 96
Cutter: Low 90s, Topped at 93
Slider: Mid/Upper 80s, Topped at 88
Splitter: Mid 80s, Topped at 86
Curveball: Upper 70s/Low 80s, Topped at 81

For those who want to see him throw, Tread Athletics posted a video of his bullpen from before this spring season. They’re a pitching training academy and it gives great insight into what Birdball fans could see at Harrington in the Spring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2XR6crRQSk

Winding Road of Summer Baseball.

Sparks has climbed the ladder of summer collegiate baseball and this summer is playing a full season in its most famous league, the Cape Cod Baseball League. After his freshman year, Sparks joined Spartanburg in the Coastal Plains League, a league made famous by the Savannah Bananas when they were an actual summer collegiate team and before they left the league and went into full-time barnstorming. The next summer he joined the Perfect Game Collegiate League with the Batavia Mudducks, helping them to a West Division regular and postseason title. He was dominant with a 5-1 record and 0.22 ERA, striking out 45 in 41 ⅔ innings while having a sub-0.7 WHIP.

The dominant performance earned him a call from the Bourne Braves of the Cape League, looking to add pitching depth for the stretch run. With the Braves, Sparks was thrown into the fire almost immediately, making his debut on the last day of the regular season. In a new role, Sparks moved into the bullpen closing out the regular season finale and securing his spot on the playoff roster. In those playoffs, Sparks would record a four-out save in a first-round win over Falmouth and would stay on the roster through the championship victory.

Despite his effectiveness out of the pen, Sparks did not return to Bourne for the start of the season, instead heading to Vermont in the NECBL. There, he was part of a North Division Championship, and continued to dominate hitters, posting just a 1.16 ERA. For the second straight postseason, the Braves came calling and he made an immediate impact. With Bourne on the brink of elimination, trailing Hyannis 1-0 in a best-of-three West Division Championship, Sparks delivered four and a third shutout innings to force game three. He showed something in the game that answered a question mark some had about him; how he would pitch against an elite lineup with runners on. Being such a dominant pitcher in D3, Sparks rarely faced any pressure from having runners in scoring position but some struggles with control in this game led to nine runners reaching, five via a free pass, but Sparks managed to strand all of them and ensure none would come across to score.

Now, Nolan is back with the Braves; this time not as a temporary replacement for a team desperate for arms down the stretch. He is one of the only Division Three players in the country to earn a permanent contract in the league. As clutch, as he has been for the squad, and as effective as he has been at every level, the Brave’s General Manager, Darin Weeks (a Boston College grad) spoke even higher about him off the field. Weeks called him “a great kid and is one of the smartest kids we’ve ever had here”, citing the fact Sparks has already earned a pair of bachelor’s degrees from his four years at Rochester.

Off the field

Interviewing Nolan after an off-day on the Cape gave some perspective on what he does away from the diamond. Taking advantage of being on Cape Cod for the summer, Sparks said he and his teammates went golfing before hitting the beach. The Colorado native wanted to take advantage of the location since he very rarely is close to the beach due to where he’s from and going to school in upstate New York. His normal off days when not on the Cape consist of fishing to get away from Baseball for a little while. On the links, Sparks isn’t quite as talented as he is on the mound but has a relatable attitude, saying “I’m not a good golfer. I just try my best, have some fun.” I’d imagine Birdball fans won’t mind too much, certainly, they’d rather see a pitcher in the 90s for both golf and fastball velocity than one in the 70s for both.

Final Thoughts.

If Interdonato can get Sparks to campus in the fall, he’ll make an instant impact on the diamond. Nolan projects as a weekend starter for the Eagles and will eat some innings (6 IP per game last year) to help limit the usage of the bullpen. He’s got All-ACC potential and could be the difference between competing for an ACC tournament spot and competing for a national tournament spot. However, there is the draft question; starting three weeks from today, MLB clubs will select the nation’s best amateur players over three days and twenty rounds. Sparks certainly has the numbers and talent to warrant a selection. Just like they do for many other programs every year, the Major League clubs circle like vultures eyeing prized commits, leaving Sparks with multiple options and the biggest choice of his life. One he’ll have to make less than a month from today.