Nikau Pouaka-Grego

Nikau Jack Pouaka-Grego is a left-handed-hitting, right-handed-throwing Australian-associated professional baseball infielder in the Philadelphia Phillies organisation. Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 13 September 2004, he developed through Australian baseball and represented Australia at youth level before signing with Philadelphia as an international amateur free agent in January 2022. His provider record lists him as an inactive shortstop, while the latest available MLB/MiLB records pl…

Nikau Jack Pouaka-Grego was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, and later moved to Australia, where he developed as a middle infielder. He is associated with Australian baseball despite his New Zealand birthplace and has appeared on Australian Baseball League rosters as an Australian player. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed, and has been listed primarily at shortstop, second base and third base. Pouaka-Grego’s early development included New Zealand youth baseball and Australian representative baseball. At the 2018 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup, he represented Australia and recorded four hits, a triple, five walks and six runs in 10 at-bats, according to Baseball Reference’s player biography record. He also captained the Christchurch Redbirds’ New Zealand U-13 All Stars side that won an international tournament in the United States, where he won the Home Run Derby. Philadelphia signed him as an amateur free agent on 17 January 2022. In his professional debut with the Florida Complex League Phillies, he batted .301 with a .424 on-base percentage and .466 slugging percentage across 35 games, establishing himself as one of the organisation’s more promising young hitters. He later played in the Australian Baseball League with the Adelaide Giants. A left-knee injury sustained during the 2022–23 ABL off-season was reported as a torn ACL and required surgery, causing him to miss the 2023 season. He returned to affiliated baseball in 2024 with Clearwater, producing a .304/.441/.457 slash line in 15 May games according to Phillies prospect notes. His subsequent professional path included the Florida Complex League Phillies, Clearwater Threshers, Jersey Shore BlueClaws and Reading Fightin Phils. The latest MLB/MiLB player record available for 2026 lists him with Reading, although the supplied provider status is Inactive. As of the latest available record, he had not appeared in Major League Baseball.