Shushkewich: Halcovitch goes from a Mets ace to a Purple Ace in Evansville

Toronto Mets RHP Nick Halcovitch (Waterdown, Ont.) has committed to Evansville. Photo: University of Evansville Athletics

August 10, 2025

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

The University of Evansville has produced dozens of pro ball players, with Kyle Freeland, Andy Benes, former Toronto Blue Jays coach Sal Fasano and former Expos infielder Jamey Carroll being notable alumni.

This solid track record is one of the many reasons Toronto Mets right-hander Nick Halcovitch committed to the Purple Aces last month, deciding to take his talents to Indiana -- the home of Blue Jays coach Don Mattingly -- for the fall of 2026.

“I didn’t get a ton of attention from schools last year,” said Halcovitch, speaking to the Canadian Baseball Network. “That started to change this year through the different tournaments and playing with the Junior National Team, and it was Evansville that really stood out from the group that was showing interest right from the get-go.”

Halcovitch (Waterdown, Ont.) and his father, John, made the short trek over to the school when the Mets were in the area in early July, and the pitcher was amazed by what the program had to offer during the official visit.

“I thought the school was a good fit, especially with how detailed the coaching staff was about my future pitching development if I committed to their program,” Halcovitch said. “They were very thorough, and the visit was eye-opening to what they are doing and investing in their program and their current and future players.

“They’re building and renovating multiple facilities: clubhouse, coaching offices, players lounge, equipment room. The university is really backing their baseball program, and it was exciting to step on the field, complete the tour with my dad, and then talk with the staff about my potential future with their program and how they can find ways to model my game to follow in the alumni that have found success there before.”

Halcovitch has had a busy year to get to this point, one that has taken him south of the border on numerous occasions as well as to the Rogers Centre (again).

The 6-foot-5 right-hander participated in the Canadian Futures Showcase last fall – his second time at the tournament – and was also named to the Junior National Team, participating in their Dominican Pro Tour and their most recent stint in the MLB Draft League, playing a handful of games in mid-June.

Throwing a low-90s fastball with a biting slider tends to stand out, and Halcovitch took advantage of every opportunity thrown his way.

In the opener against the Frederick Keys, Halcovitch came in relief in the seventh inning and didn’t surrender a hit with one walk through three frames, striking out four with a 58.8% strike rate in the eventual tie.

The right-hander would make a second relief appearance against the College State Spikes to finish the week, earning the win in relief while allowing three runs through 2 1/3 innings.

“I thought the Draft League was great exposure,” said Halcovitch. “We (Junior National Team) faced some tough competition in the Draft League, in front of scouts and coaches (before he committed). It was also eye-opening to go to the Dominican and face pro players around our age and get some reps against some established at-bats. (Coach) Greg Hamilton took us to some of the fields where some big leaguers got started before, which was interesting to take in and experience while representing Canada.”

Halcovitch has found a lot of success on the mound this year through his offseason training with the Mets program and making some mechanical tweaks to his delivery towards the plate. Working with Mets pitching coordinator Jordan Prosper, Halcovitch was able to hit 92 MPH on the radar gun this summer, ranking as one of the top velocities across multiple Canadian showcases.

“It’s been a combination of offseason training and finding confidence,” said Halcovitch. “Jordan really helped elevate my game to the next level. My peak velocity only went up a couple of miles per hour, but even if I didn’t have the ‘A’ stuff, I could still compete with my ‘B’ reps, and that was all because of the work Jordan and I put in.

“I was able to move to home plate faster, moving more like a shortstop with my mechanics on the mound, and that helped with the velocity. He helped tweak my secondary stuff, and I love my slider. It gets a ton of swings and misses as well as complementing my fastball, which helps with the strikeouts and changing elevations.”

With a university commitment and some future reps with the Junior National Team likely on the horizon later this year, Halcovitch is already committed to his next tournament; the Futures Showcase slated next month.

The Mets pitcher was one of the preliminary names on the showcase roster, which will be his third and final time at the Rogers Centre due to age restrictions. Slated for a gap year before taking his talents to Indiana next fall, this upcoming showcase will be another chance for the Canadian to show what he can do against some of the top players across the nation as one of the more experienced arms.

“I think there is a lot more familiarity with the mound and feeling more comfortable in such a large stadium,” Halcovitch said. “It’s always going to be a battle against some of these top players, but this isn’t my first rodeo and I have a lot more faith in myself this time around.

“My goal is to take in this moment and enjoy every second. I want to go out and showcase what I can do when the lights are the brightest.”