Rancocas Valley's versatile Nick Cieri

Nick Cieri is a power hitter who likes to use the whole field.

That goes for defense, too.

Cieri, a senior at Rancocas Valley, might have South Jersey's sweetest, strongest swing. He has signed with Maryland on a baseball scholarship.

A lefthanded batter, Cieri can pull the ball to right field or drive it for distance to left. Rancocas Valley coach Dave Hower thinks Cieri's power alley is in left-center.

"He stays behind the ball like nobody I've ever seen," Hower said.

What's interesting is that Cieri also moves around with a glove in his hand. He made the Burlington County Carpenter Cup team as an outfielder after his sophomore year and as a third baseman after his junior year.

Now, he's a catcher.

"It's a lot of fun," Cieri said of his transition to catcher. "There is so much involved in learning about being a catcher. There's so many little details."

Cieri has played a lot of positions. He said that as a youngster he played third, shortstop, second base, and the outfield. He has been an outfielder and third baseman for Rancocas Valley, and he also has pitched on occasion for the Red Devils.

But he never caught before last fall.

"It was something I wanted to try, and Maryland was good with it," Cieri said. "I thought it might be something that would be helpful for my future."

Hower said Cieri has the physical tools to be an outstanding catcher. Cieri is 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, and can throw a 94-m.p.h. fastball. He has an average "pop time" - a measurement of the length of time between the ball "popping" in the catcher's mitt and arriving at second base on a steal attempt - of 1.8 seconds, according to the coach.

"I've never had a 1.8," Hower said. "He's still learning how to catch. But his learning curve is incredible. He works at it."

Cieri calls himself a "work in progress" behind the plate. He believes he will continue to improve during the season, which begins for Rancocas Valley with three games next week at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in Orlando.

"I'm not nearly where I need to be," Cieri said. "But I'm having fun with it and working as hard as I can on it."

Hower said Cieri has the potential to be an early-round selection in the major-league baseball draft in June. The coach said scouts from the Cardinals and Mets have attended Rancocas Valley practices.

Cieri said he will try to focus on his senior season despite what is likely to be a regular crowd of scouts at his games.

"I want to have fun with my teammates and really enjoy this season," Cieri said. "I'm trying not to think too much about the other stuff."

As much as catching is new and exciting for Cieri, his favorite part of the sport is hitting. He is a four-year starter who batted .390 as a freshman and better than .400 as a sophomore and junior, according to Hower.

At a recent scrimmage against Shawnee, Cieri put on a hitting "clinic," Renegades coach Brian Anderson said.

"My favorite part of the game is always going to be hitting," Cieri said. "As long as I get to hit, I don't care where I play."