{{Short description|American baseball player (1960–2026)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography | name = Tom Nieto | image = Tomneito1988.jpg | caption = | position = Catcher | birth_date = {{Birth date|1960|10|27}} | birth_place = Downey, California, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2026|03|27|1960|10|27}} | death_place = Zephyrhills, Florida, U.S. | bats =Right | throws =Right |debutleague = MLB | debutdate =May 10 | debutyear =1984 | debutteam =St. Louis Cardinals |finalleague = MLB | finaldate =September 29 | finalyear =1990 | finalteam =Philadelphia Phillies |statleague = MLB |stat1label=Batting average |stat1value=.205 |stat2label=Home runs |stat2value=5 |stat3label=Runs batted in |stat3value=69 | awards = | teams = '''As player''' *St. Louis Cardinals ({{mlby|1984}}–{{mlby|1985}}) *Montreal Expos ({{mlby|1986}}) *Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|1987}}–{{mlby|1988}}) *Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|1989}}–{{mlby|1990}}) '''As coach''' * New York Yankees ({{mlby|1995}}–{{mlby|2002}}) * New York Mets ({{mlby|2005}}–{{mlby|2008}}) }}
'''Thomas Andrew Nieto''' (October 27, 1960 – March 27, 2026) was an American professional baseball catcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, and Philadelphia Phillies. Nieto was past manager of the manager of the Minor League Baseball (MiLB) Rochester Red Wings, the Twins’ Triple-A affiliate. He previously served in various coaching capacities for the New York Yankees and New York Mets. A native of Artesia, California, Nieto attended Gahr High School then went on to Cerritos College and Oral Roberts University.
== Playing career == The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Nieto in the third round of the 1981 amateur draft. He played for the Cardinals in 1984 and 1985, the Montreal Expos in 1986, the Twins in 1987 and 1988, and the Philadelphia Phillies in 1989 and 1990. He played in the World Series with the Cardinals in 1985. Nieto won a World Series ring with the Twins in 1987.
== Coaching career == From 1995 to 2002, Nieto worked with the New York Yankees, serving as the major league catching coach in 2000 and 2001. He managed the Palm Beach Cardinals of the Florida State League in 2003 and 2004. When Willie Randolph was named manager of the New York Mets following the 2004 season, he named Nieto as his catching instructor on November 26, 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=nym&coachorstaffid=119796 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060519101028/http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=nym&coachorstaffid=119796 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 19, 2006 |title=New York Mets: Tom Nieto|accessdate=July 31, 2016}}</ref> In 2007, Nieto switched from catching instructor to first base coach.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Harper|first=John|date=January 15, 2008|title=Tom Nieto is Rickey Henderson's replacement as first base coach|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/tom-nieto-rickey-henderson-replacement-base-coach-article-1.342821|access-date=February 4, 2021|website=New York Daily News}}</ref> On June 17, 2008, the Mets fired Nieto, manager Willie Randolph, and pitching coach Rick Peterson.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/sports/baseball/17cnd-mets.html |title=Mets Fire Manager Willie Randolph |author=Ben Shpigel |date=June 17, 2008 |work=New York Times |accessdate=October 21, 2009}}</ref>
Nieto joined the Minnesota Twins organization in 2009 as the manager of the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rockcats.com/news/top/index.html?article_id=370 |title=Rock Cats Welcome New Manager Tom Nieto |date=February 6, 2009 |work=New Britain Rock Cats |accessdate=October 21, 2009}}</ref> In his first and only season in New Britain, he led the Rock Cats to a 72–69 record and a playoff berth. On October 20, 2009, Nieto was named as the new manager of the Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota's Triple-A affiliate. He replaced Stan Cliburn,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20091021/SPORTS06/910210351/Nieto+takes+Rochester+Red+Wings++helm |author=Jim Mandelaro |title=Nieto takes Rochester Red Wings' helm |date=October 21, 2009 |accessdate=October 21, 2009 |work=Democrat and Chronicle}}</ref> whose contract was not renewed by the Twins following the 2009 season.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20090921/SPORTS06/90921024/1024/Cliburn+won+t+return+as+Red+Wings+manager |author=Jim Mandelaro |title=Cliburn won't return as Red Wings manager |date=September 21, 2009 |accessdate=September 22, 2009 |work=Democrat and Chronicle}}</ref> On October 29, 2010, the Twins announced Nieto and his coaching staff would return to manage the Red Wings for the 2011 season.<ref name="Manager Tom Nieto, coaching staff to return to Rochester Red Wings in 2011">{{Cite web|url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20101029/SPORTS06/101029018/Tom-Nieto--coaching-staff-will-return-to-2011-Red-Wings|title=Manager Tom Nieto, coaching staff to return to Rochester Red Wings in 2011|accessdate=2010-10-29|publisher=Democrat and Chronicle|year=2010|author=Jim Mandelaro}}</ref> Following the 2011 season, Nieto was let go by the Twins organization.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/blogs/129545593.html|title=Twins fire Class AAA Rochester manager Tom Nieto|accessdate=2014-07-08|publisher=Star Tribune|year=2011|author=Phil Miller}}</ref> Nieto managed the GCL Yankees for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
==Death== Nieto died from a heart attack in Zephyrhills, Florida, on March 27, 2026, at the age of 65.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/phillies-twins-world-series-champion-catcher-dies-suddenly-at-65-11786226 |title=Phillies, Twins World Series Champion Catcher Dies Suddenly at 65 |first1=Jon Paul |last1=Hoornstra |magazine=Newsweek |date=April 6, 2026 |access-date=April 6, 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{baseballstats|mlb=119796|espn=1456|br=n/nietoto01|fangraphs=1009593|brm=nieto-001tho|retro=N/Pniett001|almanac=nietoto01}}
{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sports}}}} {{succession box | title=Greensboro Bats Manager | before=Jimmy Johnson|years=1997–1998|after=Stan Hough}} {{succession box | title=Tampa Yankees Manager | before=Lee Mazzilli|years=1999|after=Brian Butterfield}} {{succession box | title=New Britain Rock Cats Manager | before=Bobby Cuellar|years=2009|after=Jeff Smith}} {{succession box | title=Rochester Red Wings Manager | before=Stan Cliburn|years=2010–2011|after=Gene Glynn}} {{s-end}}
{{1981 College Baseball consensus All-Americans}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nieto, Tom}} Category:1960 births Category:2026 deaths Category:All-American college baseball players Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada Category:Arkansas Travelers players Category:Baseball coaches from California Category:Cerritos Falcons baseball players Category:Indianapolis Indians players Category:Louisville Redbirds players Category:Major League Baseball catchers Category:Minnesota Twins players Category:Minor league baseball managers Category:Montreal Expos players Category:New York Mets coaches Category:New York Yankees coaches Category:Oral Roberts Golden Eagles baseball players Category:Philadelphia Phillies players Category:Portland Beavers players Category:Rochester Red Wings managers Category:Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons players Category:Baseball players from Downey, California Category:St. Louis Cardinals players Category:Wei Chuan Dragons coaches Category:Gahr High School alumni Category:American expatriate baseball people in Australia Category:American expatriate baseball people in Taiwan Category:20th-century American sportsmen