'I can't wait to come home.' Mason alum Northcut completes Pham trade with Cincinnati Reds

Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer
·3 min read
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The Reds announced Wednesday the acquisition of minor league infielder Nick Northcut from the Boston Red Sox to complete their Aug. 1 trade of outfielder Tommy Pham.

For those not familiar with local high school baseball, Northcut was a four-year player for Mason High School making All-Greater Miami Conference each season and taking GMC Player of the Year honors as a sophomore. Northcut was an 11th-round draft choice of the Boston Red Sox coming right out of high school. He bypassed a scholarship offer at Vanderbilt to go pro.

"Oh my gosh, I can't wait to come home!" Northcut said Wednesday. "The family's ecstatic. They're excited! It's kind of emotional, too, as it's something we've talked about and dreamed about for a long time."

Swinging wood to prepare for his future in his senior year at Mason (2018), he hit .374 with three homers and drove in 24 runs.  Mainly in relief on the mound, he was 2-1 with a 1.04 ERA. He was the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year.

Nick Northcut, celebrating his homerun as a Salem Red Sox in May 2021, is happy to come home to play for the Cincinnati Reds organization.
Nick Northcut, celebrating his homerun as a Salem Red Sox in May 2021, is happy to come home to play for the Cincinnati Reds organization.

Northcut's junior year saw him hit .463 while going 3-2 with a 2.36 ERA pitching. As a sophomore, he was Greater Miami Conference Player of the Year with a .425 average six homers, 29 RBI and a 3-2 record on the hill with a 2.12 ERA. He also started his freshman year hitting .373.

His Mason family was active on social media, including his Comets coach Curt Bly. Northcut said his phone hasn't stopped since he received the morning call.

The 6-foot-1-inch, 206-pound third and first baseman has combined for 30 home runs and 75 runs batted in during his time at high-A (Lowell Spinners) and low-AA (Portland Sea Dogs) this season over 103 games. Last year he hit 17 homers with 77 RBI and a .261 average for Class A Salem.

"Things started clicking," Northcut said of his power surge.

Mason's Nick Northcut takes a cut in 2021 with the Salem Red Sox. He has come to the Reds as part of the Tommy Pham deal Aug. 1.
Mason's Nick Northcut takes a cut in 2021 with the Salem Red Sox. He has come to the Reds as part of the Tommy Pham deal Aug. 1.

Northcut is set to return home where he watched his favorites play and hopes to soon share a clubhouse with Joey Votto.

"I used to watch Brandon Phillips do his thing," Northcut said. "I used to watch (Joey) Votto tear the cover off the baseball and still tear the cover off the baseball the past decade. I can't wait to get there and pick his brain and learn as much as I can."

Immediate plans are for Northcut to go to Arizona to the instructional league this fall. He's eager to get to know the staff and front office and make new relationships.

"I have to go back to Portland to get a few of my things then I head back home to Cincinnati," Northcut said. "I'll be out at instructs (Arizona) here pretty soon. I get to come home and play in the backyard."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Mason's Northcut joins Reds organization as part of Tommy Pham trade