Incoming transfer becomes first to win Cape Cod MVP

Maika Niu takes home prestigious honor before coming to Fayetteville

Falmouth's Maika Niu on deck during a Cape Cod Baseball League game against Cotuit at Lowell Park in Cotuit, MA on July 11, 2025. | Allen Gunn/Cape Cod Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

An incoming Razorback is bringing home some hardware before joining Arkansas in the fall after transferring from Marshall in the offseason.

Outfielder Maika Niu is the first Razorback to win the Pat Sorenti Award for Most Valuable Player in the Cape Cod League since the award was first handed out in 1964.

CROWN HIM. 👑

Maika Niu (@FalCommodores) is your 2025 Pat Sorenti Cape League MVP! pic.twitter.com/ZR9mdHgRIH

— Cape League (@OfficialCCBL) August 4, 2025

Widely regarded as the best summer league for baseball, Niu has been one of the standouts for the Falmouth Commodores. Among qualified players, he ranks first in home runs (eight), second in slugging percentage (.508), second in OPS (.872) and sixth in stolen bases (15), while being named to the All-Star team.

An incoming transfer from Marshall, Niu looks to be the potential frontrunner for the center field position after Justin Thomas Jr. opted to sign with the Houston Astros after being selected in the 11th round of the MLB Draft.

“Outfield is what he wants to do,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said.  “That's what he told me when I talked with him face-to-face. I told him, 'That's what you’re going to do.'”

Playing exclusively at shortstop for Marshall in 2025, Niu’s transition to center field in the Cape has gone well. In 30 games, he’s made just two errors for a fielding percentage of .967. He played only in center field until the final game of the regular season, where he started at first base.

Niu was draft eligible himself after having already played three seasons of college baseball, two at New Orleans and one at Marshall. There was some chatter that because of how good he had been playing in the Cape, that he had quietly played himself into being able to sign professionally.

He was not selected in the 20 round draft that took place last month. 

It’s kind of hard to ignore what @HerdBaseball SS/OF Maika Niu is doing on the Cape right now. Slashing .279/.362/.639 w/6 HR. Played SS all season but looks way more comfortable in CF. 60 runner underway. 55 arm. Swing and miss may always be there, but the tools are there. pic.twitter.com/3nGDMi2jlx

— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) July 5, 2025

“I went out to the Cape and watched him play and he had a really good night," Van Horn said. "I was concerned [about the draft]. [Hitting] coach [Nate] Thompson did a really great job recruiting him. Just getting him through gives us a lot of Division I at-bats. He’s confident and excited that he had a good summer.” 

Along with fellow Razorback Kuhio Aloy, who won the event, Niu also paricipated in the Cape Cod Home Run Derby. Niu showed his prodigious power last season when he tied a Sun Belt Conference record by hitting a home run in six straight games.

Despite Niu's individual performance, Falmouth did not make the eight-team playoffs in the 10-team league, finishing bottom in their division. Niu will now head to Fayetteville to begin fall ball, which is now less than a month away.

Along with cementing his place as the first Razorback to become Cape Cod MVP, Niu joins a long list of high draft picks and MLB stars who won the award before going on to have successful professional careers. Evan Longoria (2005), Darin Erstad (2000), Jason Varitek (1983) and Ron Darling (1980) are among the MLB All-Stars to be on the roll of honor to win the award. 

Niu and the Razorbacks will begin Fall Ball Sept. 3.