PVHS Trojan C.J Nelson to represent Nevada at Top Tier Games
If there’s anyone that’s “got that dog” in him, it’s C.J. Nelson.
The soon-to-be Pahrump Valley High School sophomore was recently invited to represent Las Vegas in the 2025 Top Tier Select games to be held in Kansas City, Missouri next month.
As one of the top 15 best players in the program, Nelson is having a unfathomable first season with the program as the slugger is slashing .442/.446/.635 with a 1.101 OPS, two home runs, five doubles, 22 RBI’s, 13 runs and seven walks, all in 19 games played.
“It first started by coach Patrick [Flowers] coming up to me and saying how the headquarters wanted to see my videos, my at-bats and how I carry myself,” Nelson said while talking with the Pahrump Valley Times while he was waiting for his birria fries last Saturday night. “Coach took some videos and they liked it. So then they sent an email to Patrick and then we went from there. I’m grateful for everything Top Tier has done. This is one of the biggest moments for my baseball career.”
With the selection, Nelson became the first player in Top Tier’s Las Vegas program history to be selected to represent the Las Vegas Valley and Pahrump Valley nationally.
According to Top Tier’s Las Vegas director Patrick Flowers, the selection process starts following a nomination from a regional Top Tier affiliate and a review of the player’s portfolio by coaches of the select teams in Chicago. During that time, coaches take into account the player’s performance, videos and measurables.
“C.J. is a very talented ballplayer with loud tools and raw athleticism. He’s made some great strides in the Top Tier program in a short time and his tools have been on full display this summer, earning him a well-deserved selection to the Top Tier Select Team,” Flowers said. “We’re incredibly proud of C.J.’s selection with him being the first Top Tier Las Vegas player to represent the Vegas Valley and the Pahrump Valley nationally - and it certainly won’t be the last time C.J. and other players will receive the national exposure they deserve.”
For most incoming freshmen, maturity can play a hindrance in their overall focus and determination for the game.
That most certainly was not the case for Nelson on the diamond this year. Even when catching up at the local co-ed softball charity event at Petrack Park, the big lefty carries himself with poise and respect.
“It’s pretty cool to do that because I’m the first player to get selected from Vegas,” Nelson said. “I think that this year the high school team will be great.”
As a freshman playing for the Pahrump Valley Trojans as a varsity starter, Nelson posted the third highest batting average on the team with a final season line of .372/.430/.449 and a team-leading 0.879 OPS.
In his first year alone, from high school baseball to travel ball, C.J. has been able cut down on his amount of strikeouts, significantly lowering his number from 14 during the school year to only five during travel. When asked about what has led to the drop in strikeouts, Nelson credited his newer approach to the plate to his recent success.
“My hitting coach Steve, I got to thank him. He taught me to stay down instead of coming up. And since then, I’ve been hitting good. That’s what got me the opportunity from Top Tier,” Nelson said. “I stopped guessing what pitch was coming instead of guessing what I saw out the hand. That’s a big thing. And when you guess, you’re either out front or you’re late.”
Contact Jacob Powers at jpowers@pvtimes.com. Follow @jaypowers__ on X.
