On Tuesday, Oct. 22, senior two-way player CJ Bates announced his commitment to Fairleigh Dickinson University at the Florham campus in Madison, NJ. Bates is the first Class of 2025 Raider and fourth pitcher in two years to pursue collegiate baseball.
“My decision to play in college was a no-doubter. I always dreamed of playing baseball at the next level,” Bates told The Fanscotian. “Seeing my old high school teammates having [fun] and the atmosphere of being with a team in college influenced my decision to keep playing.”
Fairleigh Dickinson University is a private university that has four campuses, two in New Jersey, one in Vancouver and another in Wroxton, England. The Florham campus is home to the Devils, competing at the NCAA Division III level in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC).
FDU capped off their 2024 campaign with a record of 14-26, finishing sixth in the Freedom Division. The Devils have been up and down in recent years with 2022 being the program’s best in a decade. In that season, FDU were 22-19, winning the most in a season since 2014, and they captured the Eastern College Athletic Conference championship.
“I chose to play at FDU because of the amazing coaching staff led by Coach Quinn. I thought it was the right fit the minute I stepped on campus in the summer. Seeing how tight the team is, I wanted to be a part of that,” Bates said.
Through the NJ Rising Rebels club in Morristown, NJ, Bates honed his pitching arsenal and consistency behind the plate, opening himself up to recruitment in his four years with the program. With his 6’3” frame, the right hander is dominant on the mound, exceeding 80 mph and showing flexibility as a starter and a reliever.
“[Rising Rebels] have a lot of connections with colleges around the country so they helped a lot through my career. They have given me the opportunity to meet a lot of new teammates and be able to play under very good coaches,” Bates said.
Bates had a breakout season last spring, slashing a .322 batting average, recording a hit in 16 out of 23 games and spinning an earned run average of 2.75 in 35.2 innings pitched. In his last five starts, he only gave up 10 earned runs, had 16 strikeouts and the team won all of those games.
During his first year on the Raiders as a sophomore, he only had one at bat and had a 4.93 era. The major step up paid off, as Scotch Plains-Fanwood significantly rebounded from the 2023 season.
Following the strong 2024 campaign, Bates earned himself a spot on the Underclassmen Quad County All Star Game on June 26 in New Brunswick and made the First Team for the Union County Conference Watchung Division.
Bates will likely assume the role as the ace of the fierce SPF starting rotation, a tremendous task for the senior.
“The thought of being the ace in the spring really excites me, [getting] the ball in some of the biggest games this year,” Bates said. “I’m very excited for this season and hopefully [we can] bring a county championship home in my last chance, my senior year.”
