Jayson Truitt Edward Nix (born August 26, 1982) is an American former

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...

utility player In sports, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently. Sports in which the term is often used include association football, American football, baseball, rugby union, rugby league, softball, ice hockey, and water polo. The ...

. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) for the

Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

, and

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...

. His older brother,

Laynce Nix Laynce Michael Nix (born October 30, 1980) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Nix played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals, and Philadelphia Phillie ...

, has also played in MLB.

Early life

Nix was born in

Dallas, Texas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County w ...

, and still makes his offseason home there. He attended Midland High School in

Midland, Texas Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Texas, United States. A small part of Midland is in Martin County. At the 2020 census, Midland's population was 132,524. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas metropolitan ...

Professional career

The

selected Nix as a sandwich pick (44th overall) between the first and second rounds of the

2001 Major League Baseball Draft The 2001 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 5 and 6. First round selections Supplemental First Round Selections Compensation Picks Background On June 1, 2001, Rolando Viera, a Cuban ba ...

as compensation for not signing their first round pick in the

2000 Major League Baseball Draft First round selections Compensation picks Background The Florida Marlins made Adrián González of Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, California the first overall selection in the 2000 First-Year Player Draft. González, who was rated as ...

(

Matt Harrington Matt Harrington (born February 1, 1982) is a former first round pick in Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft. Harrington was selected in the MLB draft five times in consecutive years, without coming to an agreement with his selecting t ...

). He won the

USA Baseball USA Baseball is the national governing body for organized baseball in the United States, and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and the World Baseball Softball Confederation. The organization selects and trains the World Basebal ...

Richard W. "Dick" Case Player of the Year Award in 2007.

Colorado Rockies

Nix began the 2008 season as the Colorado Rockies starting second baseman but over the next month, he saw his playing time diminish. On April 26, 2008, Nix was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...

. He had played in 17 games and batted .111 with no

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

s. On April 30 he cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A. Jayson Nix on June 5, 2011

Nix was

batting Batting may refer to: *Batting (baseball), the act of attempting to hit a ball thrown by the pitcher with a baseball bat, in order to score runs *Batting (cricket), the act of defending one's wicket with the cricket bat while attempting to score ru ...

.300 with 17 home runs and 49 RBI for the Sky Sox in 2008 when his minor league season ended as a result of his being selected for the 2008 USA

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

Baseball Team. In the team's third game at the Olympics, against

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

, Nix hit a solo home run in the eighth

inning In baseball, softball, and similar games, an inning is the basic unit of play, consisting of two halves or frames, the "top" (first half) and the "bottom" (second half). In each half, one team bats until three outs are made, with the other team ...

. While leading off the eleventh inning with runners on first and second as per Olympic rules, Nix fouled a ball off his left eye. He left the game for the hospital and missed the rest of the Beijing Games. Team USA lost, 5–4, to the defending champions in eleven innings.

Chicago White Sox

On October 28, 2008, Nix signed as a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

with the

. On May 7, 2009, Nix hit his 1st career home run off of

Armando Galarraga Armando Antonio Galarraga Barreto (born January 15, 1982) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball pitcher. Galarraga made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Texas Rangers on September 15, 2007. He was traded to the Detroit Ti ...

. He followed with his second career home run just five days later. On May 26, Nix homered twice against the

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...

. On the same day, his brother, Laynce homered against the

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...

. On May 30, 2010 Nix hit his first career

grand slam Grand Slam most often refers to: * Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to: Games and sports * Grand slam, winning category te ...

against the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...

. On June 18, 2010, he was designated for assignment to make room for prospect infielder

Dayán Viciedo Dayán Viciedo Pérez (born March 10, 1989) is a Cuban professional baseball infielder for the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox. Early life Viciedo ent ...

Cleveland Indians

On June 24, 2010, Nix was claimed off waivers by the

, and the team designated Shane Lindsay for assignment to make room for him.

Jensen Lewis Jensen Daniel Lewis (born May 16, 1984) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians from 2007 to 2010 and is currently a baseball analyst with Bally Sports. Career Amateur Lewis attended Vanderbilt Uni ...

and

Luis Valbuena Luis Adan Valbuena (November 30, 1985 – December 6, 2018) was a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder. He played eleven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 2008 through 2018, for the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, Chicago ...

were sent down to Triple A Columbus.

Toronto Blue Jays

On March 29, 2011, Nix was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for future cash considerations. He made his debut on April 2 against the

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...

, hitting a home run. On April 22 Nix was slid into by

Rays Ray may refer to: Fish * Ray (fish), any cartilaginous fish of the superorder Batoidea * Ray (fish fin anatomy), a bony or horny spine on a fin Science and mathematics * Ray (geometry), half of a line proceeding from an initial point * Ray (gra ...

second baseman

Sean Rodriguez Sean John Rodriguez (born April 26, 1985) is an American former professional baseball utility player who is currently a player development instructor for the Philadelphia Phillies. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los ...

and left the game with a left leg injury. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list for a left leg contusion on April 23. He returned from the disabled list on May 18, playing against the Tampa Bay Rays. He was designated for assignment on July 2. He became a free agent at season's end.

New York Yankees

Nix signed a minor league contract with the

on November 23, 2011. He also received an invitation to spring training. Nix was called up on May 3, 2012 by the Yankees. Nix filled in as a backup infielder for the Yankees and started several games at shortstop and third base filling in for

Derek Jeter Derek Sanderson Jeter ( ; born June 26, 1974) is an American former professional baseball shortstop, businessman, and baseball executive. As a player, Jeter spent his entire 20-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees ...

and

Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, businessman and philanthropist. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the ...

. Nix was the final out of the

2012 American League Championship Series The 2012 American League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the New York Yankees against the Detroit Tigers for the American League pennant and the right to play in the 2012 World Series. The series, the 43rd in league hi ...

popping up to first baseman

Prince Fielder Prince Semien Fielder (born May 9, 1984) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, and Texas Rangers. He was selected i ...

as the Yankees were swept and eliminated by the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

in 4 games. Nix was placed on the

15-day disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...

on July 3, 2013, due to a

hamstring In human anatomy, a hamstring () is any one of the three posterior thigh muscles in between the hip and the knee (from medial to lateral: semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris). The hamstrings are susceptible to injury. In quadrupeds, ...

strain. On August 21, Nix was hit by an

R. A. Dickey Robert Allen Dickey (born October 29, 1974) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Bra ...

knuckleball and immediately removed from the game with what was later determined to be a broken left hand. On August 22, Nix was placed on the 15-day disabled list. On September 1, 2013 he was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. After the season, Nix was non-tendered by the Yankees, making him a free agent.

Philadelphia Phillies

On January 9, 2014, Nix signed a minor league deal with the

. He was traded to the

for cash considerations on March 28, 2014. He was outrighted to the

Lehigh Valley IronPigs The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and are named in reference to pig iron, used in the ...

on May 12, but refused the assignment on May 13 and became a free agent.

Tampa Bay Rays

On May 16, 2014, Nix signed a minor league deal with the

. He was to report to the Triple-A

Durham Bulls The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened in ...

, and would be able to opt out of the contract if not on the major league roster by July 15. Nix was released on August 1, 2014.

Pittsburgh Pirates

On August 3, 2014, Nix was signed by the

. Nix was designated for assignment by the Pirates on August 25, 2014.

Kansas City Royals

On August 28, Nix was claimed off waivers by the

Baltimore Orioles

On February 17, 2015, Nix signed a minor league contract with the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...

Return to Philadelphia Phillies

On May 16, 2015, Nix was traded to the

for cash considerations. He was released on June 23.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nix, Jayson 1982 births American expatriate baseball players in Canada Asheville Tourists players Baseball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics Baseball players from Dallas Casper Rockies players Colorado Springs Sky Sox players Living people Major League Baseball second basemen Colorado Rockies players Chicago White Sox players Cleveland Indians players Toronto Blue Jays players New York Yankees players Philadelphia Phillies players Pittsburgh Pirates players Kansas City Royals players Visalia Oaks players Mesa Solar Sox players Tulsa Drillers players Team USA players Yaquis de Obregón players American expatriate baseball players in Mexico Birmingham Barons players Charlotte Knights players Senadores de San Juan players Dunedin Blue Jays players Las Vegas 51s players Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees players Gulf Coast Yankees players Tampa Yankees players Durham Bulls players Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in baseball Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics Los Angeles Angels scouts Midland High School (Midland, Texas) alumni