Wil Nieves, baseball player, 2002-2015

Wil Nieves

Born: 9/25/1977 in San Juan, P.R.

MLB Debut: 2002-07-21 | Final Game: 2015-04-29

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 190 lbs

Full name: Wilbert Nieves

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Biography

Wil Nieves, born in 1977, was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2002 until 2015. Primarily known as a position player, Nieves played a total of 427 games throughout his career, showcasing his ability as a reliable backup catcher and utility player. He recorded 281 hits, including 10 home runs and 114 RBIs, culminating in a career batting average of .241. His playing style was characterized by solid defensive skills behind the plate, as well as a willingness to contribute offensively when called upon. Nieves' career spanned over a decade, during which he experienced the transition of baseball in the early 2000s, an era marked by evolving player dynamics and strategies. He was known for his work ethic and versatility, which allowed him to serve various teams in different roles. While his offensive statistics may not have placed him among the elite, his contributions to his teams were valued, particularly for his leadership and experience in the clubhouse. After retiring from professional play on April 29, 2015, Wil Nieves left behind a legacy as a dependable player who contributed to the game in significant yet often understated ways.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
427 1164 88 281 54 2 10 114 3 61 228 0.241 0.280 0.317 0.597 -3664.7

Career AVG .241 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 7.0% below league average.

Career OBP .280 vs. league average .326 across their career seasons — 14.2% below league average.

Career SLG .317 vs. league average .410 across their career seasons — 22.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.597 vs. league average 0.736 across their career seasons — 18.9% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
2002 SDP NL 28 72 2 13 3 1 0 3 1 4 15 0.181 .261 (-31%) .331 (-32%) .416 (-40%) .747 (-37%) -465.3
2005 NYY AL 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0
2006 NYY AL 6 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0
2007 NYY AL 26 61 6 10 4 0 0 8 0 2 9 0.164 .268 (-39%) .335 (-43%) .422 (-46%) .758 (-45%) -482.4
2008 WAS NL 68 176 15 46 9 1 1 20 0 13 29 0.261 .263 (-1%) .333 (-7%) .416 (-18%) .749 (-13%) -445.3
2009 WAS NL 72 224 20 58 6 0 1 26 1 17 45 0.259 .262 (-1%) .332 (-6%) .417 (-28%) .750 (-18%) -753.4
2010 WAS NL 59 158 10 32 8 0 3 16 0 8 29 0.203 .257 (-21%) .325 (-25%) .402 (-23%) .728 (-24%) -702.0
2011 MIL NL 20 50 2 7 2 0 0 0 0 3 12 0.140 .255 (-45%) .320 (-41%) .399 (-55%) .719 (-49%) -400.9
2012 COL NL 16 47 3 14 2 0 1 5 0 3 9 0.298 — — — — 9.4
2012 AZ NL 16 36 4 11 1 0 1 3 0 1 8 0.306 — — — — 9.4
2013 AZ NL 71 195 16 58 11 0 1 22 0 8 32 0.297 .253 (+17%) .317 (+1%) .396 (-7%) .714 (-3%) -149.9
2014 PHI NL 36 122 9 31 8 0 1 7 1 1 34 0.254 .251 (+1%) .313 (-14%) .386 (-11%) .700 (-12%) -275.1
2015 SDP NL 6 13 1 1 0 0 1 4 0 1 4 0.077 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 6 0 5 0 0 1
C 370 308 2186 167 28 19

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
2002 SDN C 27 20 160 8 5 0
2005 NYA C 3 0 11 0 0 0
2006 NYA C 6 1 15 1 0 0
2007 NYA 1B 1 0 1 0 0 0
2007 NYA C 25 21 111 6 2 1
2008 WAS C 61 46 359 31 3 4
2009 WAS C 71 65 380 41 6 4
2010 WAS C 51 42 290 20 5 4
2011 MIL C 17 16 109 8 1 0
2012 COL 1B 2 0 1 0 0 0
2012 COL C 12 12 84 7 1 2
2012 ARI C 12 7 56 3 1 0
2013 ARI C 47 40 323 14 2 0
2014 PHI 1B 1 0 0 0 0 0
2014 PHI C 34 34 246 26 1 4
2015 SDN 1B 2 0 3 0 0 1
2015 SDN C 4 4 42 2 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 370
First Base 6
Designated Hitter 1

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
2015 SDN NL $850,000
2014 PHI NL $1,125,000
2013 ARI NL $800,000
2011 MIL NL $775,000
2010 WAS NL $700,000
2009 WAS NL $445,000
2007 NYA AL $382,150
2006 NYA AL $328,600
Total Career Earnings $5,405,750