Xavier Clifford Nady VI (; born November 14, 1978) 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 leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professiona ...

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...

and

first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...

. Nady 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 (A ...

(MLB) for the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major lea ...

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 ...

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

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The ...

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yo ...

, and the

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...

. The St. Louis Cardinals originally drafted Nady in the fourth round of the 1997 Major League Baseball draft (134th overall) after he was named Northern California Player of the Year in his senior year of high school (but he did not sign professionally at that time). Nady attended

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant un ...

, where he set the all-time

Pac-10 Conference The Pac-12 Conference is a collegiate athletic conference, that operates in the Western United States, participating in 24 sports at the NCAA Division I level. Its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS; formerly Division ...

record for career

slugging percentage In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at bats for a given player, ...

(.729) for the

California Golden Bears baseball The California Golden Bears baseball team represents the University of California, Berkeley in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other California athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Pac-12 Conference. The Bears ...

team.

Professional career

San Diego Padres

Nady was drafted in the second round of 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 ...

by the

(49th overall). Nady signed a major league contract and became the 18th player to go directly to the major leagues without making his professional debut in the

minor leagues Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in N ...

since . Nady only appeared in one major league game before being sent to the minor leagues. He was named Padres Minor League Player of the Year in , also collecting the California League MVP and Rookie of the Year awards that season. Nady underwent

Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's ...

after the 2001 season and had limited playing time in . In , he again returned to the major league level for part of the season, but spent most of his time in the minor leagues. In late June , Nady became the first Padre since

Greg Vaughn Gregory Lamont Vaughn (born July 3, 1965) is an American former baseball left fielder who played for the Milwaukee Brewers (1989–1996), San Diego Padres (1996–1998), Cincinnati Reds (1999), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2000–2002) and Colorado ...

(in ) to

homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...

in four consecutive games.

New York Mets

The Padres traded him to the

for

Mike Cameron Michael Terrance Cameron (born January 8, 1973) is an American former professional Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers ...

on November 18, 2005. Nady underwent an emergency

appendectomy An appendectomy, also termed appendicectomy, is a surgical operation in which the vermiform appendix (a portion of the intestine) is removed. Appendectomy is normally performed as an urgent or emergency procedure to treat complicated acute appe ...

early in the morning on May 30, 2006. As a result, he 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 ...

, and returned to the lineup on June 18. DSC00821 Xavier Nady

Pittsburgh Pirates

On July 30, 2006, Mets set-up relief pitcher Duaner Sánchez was injured when the cab in which he was a passenger was broadsided. The Mets' pitching corps was already depleted with star pitcher Pedro Martínez on the disabled list. Desperate for pitching, the Mets were forced to give up Nady, their starting right fielder, to the Pirates in exchange for pitchers Óliver Pérez and Roberto Hernández.

New York Yankees

On July 26, 2008, the New York Yankees acquired Nady and

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...

Dámaso Marte from the Pittsburgh Pirates for José Tábata, Ross Ohlendorf, Daniel McCutchen, and

Jeff Karstens Jeffrey Wayne Karstens (born September 24, 1982) is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Karstens pitched for the New York Yankees in 2006 and 2007 and the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2008 to 2012. High schoo ...

. Nady had a career-high six (6) RBIs as the Yankees came back to beat the

Los Angeles Angels 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 h ...

on August 3, 2008. He finished the 2008 season setting career-highs in home runs (25) and runs batted in (97), and had a .305 batting average. On January 21, 2009, Nady signed a one-year contract worth $6.65 million with the Yankees, thus avoiding arbitration. On April 14, 2009, Nady suffered a right-elbow injury which ultimately required a second

on July 8, despite an initial attempt to rehab the injury. The surgery ended his 2009 season. As a result,

Nick Swisher Nicholas Thompson Swisher (born November 25, 1980) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was a switch hitter who threw left-handed, and played for the Oakland Athletics, Chica ...

took over in Nady's position for the remainder of the 2009 season. Nady spent the season (including the postseason) on the disabled list until the Yankees won the 2009 World Series against the

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 ...

. He filed for free agency following the conclusion of the 2009 season. While Nady played only seven games for the Yankees in 2009, he did receive a World Series ring following the team's Series victory that season.

Chicago Cubs

On January 29, 2010, Nady signed a one-year contract with the

. On May 16, 2010, Nady hit a game-winning RBI single in the eighth inning against the Pirates, as the Cubs won 4–3. Nady finished the season with a .256 batting average, six home runs and 33 runs batted in. He became a free agent after the end of the season.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Nady signed a one-year contract with the

on December 15, 2010. He became a free agent after the end of the season.

Washington Nationals

Nady signed a minor league contract with the

on March 18, 2012. He was called up by the Nationals on April 4. Following a trip to the

midway through the season, Nady was designated for assignment on July 21, 2012 and released on July 29, 2012. Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, a rookie during the 2012 season, later named Nady among the veteran teammates from whom he learned early on in his playing career.

San Francisco Giants

Nady was signed to a minor league contract by the

on August 4, 2012, and assigned to their Triple-A affiliate in

Fresno, California Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...

. He made his debut for the Giants on September 1, 2012, and hit a three-run double against the Cubs in his first at-bat. On September 30, Nady hit a game-tying ninth-inning home run against the San Diego Padres in a game that the Giants went on to win in extra innings. He was on the active roster during the

2012 World Series The 2012 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2012 season. The 108th edition of the World Series, the series was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion San Francisco Giants and ...

in which the team swept 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 four games.

Kansas City Royals

On December 14, 2012, Nady signed a minor league contract with the

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 ...

. During Spring training, Nady struggled first with plantar fasciitis and then sustained a partial tear in his right heel. The Royals released him on March 25, 2013, and then re-signed him to a Minor League contract later the same week. He played with their Triple-A team in

Omaha Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest c ...

. Nady was released on June 29.

Colorado Rockies

Nady signed a minor league deal with 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 Fi ...

on June 30, 2013.

Second stint with Padres

Nady signed a minor league deal with the

in January 2014. He was designated for assignment on May 5, 2014. On May 11, Nady refused his outright assignment and elected free agency.

Seattle Mariners

On May 27, 2014, Nady signed a minor league deal with the

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion ...

. He exercised an opt-out clause in his contract on June 26, becoming a free agent.

Coaching career

On June 20, 2015, Nady began his tenure as the

hitting coach In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decisio ...

for the

Lake Elsinore Storm The Lake Elsinore Storm are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. The Storm plays their home games at Lake Elsinore Diamond (Pete Lehr Field), which opened in 1994; the park s ...

, the Single A affiliate of the

Personal life

Nady's wife, Meredith, had their first child, a son, on July 15, 2008. His second son was born on September 8, 2011. His uncle is boxing referee Jay Nady. After an intestinal illness prior to

spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...

in 2007, Nady was tested for

Crohn's disease Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that may affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhea (which may be bloody if inflammation is severe), fever, abdominal distensi ...

due to family history of the disease. The tests turned out negative and Nady was instead diagnosed with a minor infection of the small intestines.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nady, Xavier 1978 births Living people Arizona Diamondbacks players Baseball coaches from California Baseball players from California California Golden Bears baseball players Chicago Cubs players Colorado Springs Sky Sox players Fresno Grizzlies players Lake Elsinore Storm players Major League Baseball first basemen Major League Baseball right fielders Minor league baseball coaches New York Mets players New York Yankees players Norfolk Tides players Omaha Storm Chasers players Pittsburgh Pirates players Portland Beavers players Potomac Nationals players San Diego Padres players San Francisco Giants players Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees players Sportspeople from Salinas, California Tacoma Rainiers players Washington Nationals players