Nitkowski grew up in Suffern, New York, and attended Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, New Jersey, graduating in 1991. Not drafted out of high school, he attended Florida Atlantic University for one year before transferring to St. John\'s University.\n', '

The Cincinnati Reds made Nitkowski the ninth overall pick in the 1994 Major League Baseball draft. He made his major-league debut on June 3, 1995, with the Reds. The Reds traded Nitkowski, a player to be named later (later selected to be Mark Lewis), and minor-leaguer Dave Tuttle to the Detroit Tigers for David Wells on July 31, 1995.\n', '

After the 1996 season, the Tigers traded Nitkowski with Brad Ausmus, José Lima, Trever Miller, and Daryle Ward to the Houston Astros for Doug Brocail, Brian Hunter, Todd Jones, Orlando Miller, and cash. After the 1998 season, the Astros traded Nitkowski with Ausmus back to the Tigers for Paul Bako, Dean Crow, Brian Powell, and minor-leaguers Carlos Villalobos and Mark Persails. Late in the 2001 season, the Tigers traded Nitkowski to the New York Mets for a player to be named later, later identified as minor-leaguer Kyle Kessel.\n', '

Return to C. J. Nitkowski Autograph Profile