Nick Gonzales is a celebrity to Kettleer fans. You can’t leave Lowell Park without hearing his name at least once.
Now, he’s a Cape League Hall of Famer.
“It was such a pivotal point in my career, coming from a small school and getting a chance to showcase my talents against such great talent and competition,” Gonzales said of his time on the cape. “My life has forever changed, and I’ve been incredibly blessed because of the CCBL.”
Gonzales spent two seasons as a Cotuit Kettleer. The New Mexico State product was the Cape League MVP in 2019 after posting a .351 batting average, .451 OBP and .773 SLG.
That stellar season propelled Gonzales and the Kettleers to a CCBL title, the organization’s league-leading 17th.
When the infielder first arrived at The Village, he had no idea what his journey would entail.
“I really didn’t know what to expect as I didn’t really have any teammates with much experience out there,” he said. “I knew it was the best summer league in the country, and I was incredibly nervous about how I would stack up. It turned out to be one of the most beautiful and heartwarming places I have ever been.”
Gonzales played under Mike Roberts, who he says had the same passion day in and day out, no matter what point in the season it was.
And even though he learned a lot from Roberts, Gonzales says his dad has been the most influential part of his journey in baseball.
“My first two games, I was really nervous and I remember texting my dad saying that I didn’t feel like I belonged there,” he said. “He reminded me to just have fun and enjoy my time. He has constantly reminded me of the same thing throughout my entire career.”
Following his time on the cape, Gonzales was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft. He was promoted to the Majors for the first time in June 2023 and made his first Opening Day roster in 2025.
