Nigel Wilson
Encyclopedia
Nigel Edward Wilson is a former major league baseball player from Oshawa
, Ontario
. He played for the Florida Marlins
, Cincinnati Reds
, and Cleveland Indians
. He also spent six highly successful seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Nippon Ham Fighters
and Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes.
in as an amateur free agent. He was promoted as high as Double-A with the Blue Jays. Wilson was drafted by the Florida Marlins
in the 1992 MLB Expansion Draft
as their first pick (second overall, behind David Nied
by the Colorado Rockies).
Wilson played a total of 22 major league games with the Marlins (1993), Cincinnati Reds
(1995), and Cleveland Indians
(1996). He failed to get a hit as either a Marlin or a Red, going 0-for-23 in his time with these teams, with 15 strikeouts and no walks or HBPs. After an 0-for-2 start with the Indians (with 1 strikeout), Wilson recorded his first major league hit in his 26th at bat. His major league career ended shortly thereafter; Wilson retired with 3 MLB hits in total.
In , he joined the Nippon Ham Fighters
of the Japanese Pacific League
after being released from the Indians. On June 21, 1997, he hit home runs in 4 consecutive at-bats, becoming only the second player in Japanese baseball history to reach this mark after Sadaharu Oh
. He ended the season with a league-leading 37 home runs.
In , he greatly improved his clutch hitting, leading the league with 33 home runs and 128 RBIs to win the Best Nine Award
for designated hitter
. In , he played only 6 games due to a knee injury, but the team decided not to release him at the end of the season. The team's decision proved to be correct, as Wilson rebounded in , hitting 37 home runs with 89 RBIs to win his second Best Nine Award.
Wilson sustained another injury in , and left the team after playing only 34 games that year. He was picked up by the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes the following year, but could not repeat his earlier success. He left Japan
at the end of , and signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees
organization, but did not make it into a major league roster.
Wilson is remembered as one of the best non-Japanese players ever to play for the Nippon Ham Fighters, along with Tony Solaita
and Sherman Obando
.
Oshawa
Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is now commonly referred to as the most...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. He played for the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, and Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. He also spent six highly successful seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Nippon Ham Fighters
Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
The are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Sapporo, Hokkaidō. They compete in the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball, playing the majority of their home games at the Sapporo Dome. The Fighters also host a select number of regional home games in cities across Hokkaidō,...
and Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes.
Career
Wilson signed with the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
in as an amateur free agent. He was promoted as high as Double-A with the Blue Jays. Wilson was drafted by the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
in the 1992 MLB Expansion Draft
1992 MLB Expansion Draft
The 1992 Major League Baseball expansion draft was held November 17, 1992 in New York City. This expansion draft was conducted by Major League Baseball to stock the major league rosters of the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins, new major league expansion franchises that were set to start play...
as their first pick (second overall, behind David Nied
David Nied
David Glen Nied is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher.-Career:Nied attended Duncanville High School. He was drafted out of high school by the Atlanta Braves in the 14th round of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft...
by the Colorado Rockies).
Wilson played a total of 22 major league games with the Marlins (1993), Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
(1995), and Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
(1996). He failed to get a hit as either a Marlin or a Red, going 0-for-23 in his time with these teams, with 15 strikeouts and no walks or HBPs. After an 0-for-2 start with the Indians (with 1 strikeout), Wilson recorded his first major league hit in his 26th at bat. His major league career ended shortly thereafter; Wilson retired with 3 MLB hits in total.
In , he joined the Nippon Ham Fighters
Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
The are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Sapporo, Hokkaidō. They compete in the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball, playing the majority of their home games at the Sapporo Dome. The Fighters also host a select number of regional home games in cities across Hokkaidō,...
of the Japanese Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
after being released from the Indians. On June 21, 1997, he hit home runs in 4 consecutive at-bats, becoming only the second player in Japanese baseball history to reach this mark after Sadaharu Oh
Sadaharu Oh
Sadaharu Oh, or Wang Chenchih , is a retired Japanese-Taiwanese baseball player and manager. He batted and threw left-handed and primarily played first base. Oh, who was born in Sumida, Tokyo the son of a Taiwanese father and a Japanese mother, had originally signed with the powerhouse Yomiuri...
. He ended the season with a league-leading 37 home runs.
In , he greatly improved his clutch hitting, leading the league with 33 home runs and 128 RBIs to win the Best Nine Award
Best Nine Award
The Best Nine Award is awarded annually to the best player at each position in both the Central League and Pacific League of Japanese professional baseball as determined by a pool of journalists.-History:...
for designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
. In , he played only 6 games due to a knee injury, but the team decided not to release him at the end of the season. The team's decision proved to be correct, as Wilson rebounded in , hitting 37 home runs with 89 RBIs to win his second Best Nine Award.
Wilson sustained another injury in , and left the team after playing only 34 games that year. He was picked up by the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes the following year, but could not repeat his earlier success. He left Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
at the end of , and signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
organization, but did not make it into a major league roster.
Wilson is remembered as one of the best non-Japanese players ever to play for the Nippon Ham Fighters, along with Tony Solaita
Tony Solaita
Tolia "Tony" Solaita was a Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, California Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, and Montreal Expos between 1968 and 1979...
and Sherman Obando
Sherman Obando
Sherman Omar Obando Gainor is a former major league baseball player who played for the Baltimore Orioles and Montreal Expos. His main position was outfield, but often played as a first baseman or designated hitter...
.