Jim Nettles – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Jim Nettles made his mark as a Major League Baseball outfielder in the 1970s, bouncing around four teams before finally calling it quits in 1981. Born in San Diego in 1947, he played six seasons in the majors, suiting up for the Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, and Oakland Athletics.

He even took his talents overseas to play for the Nankai Hawks in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league.

Nettles put together a .220 batting average with 16 home runs and 57 RBIs over 240 major league games. That’s a solid, if not exactly headline-grabbing, career for someone who mostly filled in as a reserve outfielder and pinch hitter. The stats might not wow you, but sticking around in pro baseball that long says a lot about his grit and ability to adapt in a sport that chews up most players quickly.

Nettles’ career goes beyond the numbers. He really embodied the life of countless journeyman players who kept pro baseball running in the 1970s.

He started out at San Diego State University and made his way to the majors, with stops in Japan and Mexico along the way. That journey shows just how global baseball can be—and how much dedication it takes to keep a career going at the top level.

Early Life and Amateur Career

Jim Nettles was born on March 2, 1947, and grew up in San Diego, California. He sharpened his baseball skills at San Diego State University before the Minnesota Twins picked him in the 1968 amateur draft.

Childhood in San Diego

James William Nettles spent his childhood in San Diego during the 1950s and 1960s. The city’s warm weather gave him a perfect setting to play baseball all year round.

San Diego’s deep baseball culture definitely shaped Nettles as a young player. The area turned out plenty of pros back then.

Growing up in Southern California, Nettles faced tough competition from an early age. He played as both an outfielder and a first baseman during his early years.

His family loved baseball. His older brother Graig also chased a career in pro baseball and eventually became a well-known major league third baseman.

College Baseball at San Diego State

Nettles went to San Diego State University, where he played college baseball and got noticed by pro scouts.

At San Diego State, he became a left-handed hitter. He mostly played outfield and first base during his college days.

The baseball program at the university had a great reputation for turning out pro prospects. That helped Nettles get on the radar for major league teams.

He showed off his power at the plate in college, which would later become his trademark. Those years let him face better pitching and fine-tune his approach with the bat.

Draft by the Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins picked Nettles in the fourth round of the 1968 amateur draft. They drafted him straight out of San Diego State.

Getting picked in the fourth round told everyone that scouts saw real potential in Nettles as a pro. The Twins liked his left-handed power and versatility.

The 1968 draft launched Nettles’ professional baseball adventure. He spent the next several years moving up through the Twins’ minor league system.

For a kid from San Diego, getting drafted by Minnesota was a huge break. The Twins’ scouts felt his mix of power and flexibility made him worth developing.

MLB Playing Career Overview

Jim Nettles played six seasons in Major League Baseball from 1970 to 1981. He spent most of his time with the Minnesota Twins and had shorter runs with Detroit, Kansas City, and Oakland.

His career batting average sat at .220, with 16 home runs and 57 RBIs in 240 games.

Minnesota Twins Tenure

Nettles kicked off his MLB career with the Minnesota Twins in September 1970 after hitting .318 for the Evansville Triplets in Triple-A. He played in 13 games as a rookie, picking up 5 hits in 20 at-bats for a .250 average.

In 1971, he got more playing time as a reserve outfielder and pinch hitter. He split the season between the Portland Beavers and the Twins, batting .250 in the big leagues.

He stayed with Minnesota for all of 1972 but struggled, hitting just .204. That led the team to send him to the Tacoma Twins in the Pacific Coast League for 1973.

Key Minnesota Twins Statistics:

• Games Played: 1970-1972 seasons
• Position: Outfielder, reserve role
• Notable Performance: .250 average in 1971

Detroit Tigers Years

After the 1973 season, the Twins traded Nettles to the Detroit Tigers for Paul Jata. Detroit started him off at their Triple-A affiliate in Evansville, a team he already knew well.

He got called up to the Tigers in July 1974 after Willie Horton got hurt. Nettles played in 43 games, hitting 6 home runs and batting .227.

Even with those home runs, Detroit took him off the 40-man roster after the season. That move pretty much ended his time with the Tigers after just one partial year.

His stint in Detroit was actually his best for power, with those 6 home runs making up a big chunk of his career total.

Kansas City Royals Experience

Nettles got to the Kansas City Royals after a winding path that included stops in Japan and the Mexican League. The Pittsburgh Pirates traded him to Kansas City along with Paul Djakonow for Roger Nelson and Gary Martz after the 1977 season.

He spent 1978 and 1979 with the Omaha Royals in the American Association, then finally got a call-up in September 1979. Nettles played in 11 games for Kansas City during that short stretch.

The Royals mostly used him as depth for their organization. He made his biggest impact at Triple-A, where his veteran presence helped younger players.

His time with Kansas City showed just how persistent he was, keeping at his MLB dream even when opportunities were slim.

Oakland Athletics Final Season

The Oakland Athletics picked up Nettles before the 1981 season and sent him to the Tacoma Tigers in the Pacific Coast League. He batted .241 for Tacoma during the strike-shortened 1981 season.

Oakland called him up in September 1981 for his final MLB appearance. He played just one game for the Athletics, which ended up being the last of his big league career.

Even though he barely played, Nettles stuck around with the team during the 1981 MLB postseason, though he wasn’t on the active roster. The Athletics made the playoffs that year, so he at least got to experience postseason baseball.

His last game came on September 13, 1981. That closed out an 11-year pro career that spanned a few decades and a bunch of teams.

Career Statistics and Achievements

Jim Nettles put up modest but steady numbers in his six-year Major League Baseball career from 1970 to 1981. His .220 batting average showed his role as a utility player, while his defensive versatility across the outfield made him useful to four different teams.

Batting Average and Offensive Production

Nettles kept a .220 career batting average over 240 MLB games. His best year with the bat came in 1971 with the Twins, when he hit .250 in 70 games.

That same year, he posted his highest on-base percentage at .321 and slugged .399. His OPS of .720 in 1971 stood out as his best offensive season.

In 1974 with Detroit, he showed similar flashes, batting .227 with a .710 OPS in 43 games.

The outfielder struggled in his later years. In 1979 with Kansas City, he hit just .087 in 11 games, which is about as tough as it gets for a player with that many at-bats.

Home Runs and RBIs

Nettles hit 16 home runs in his MLB career, with his best power showing up in 1971. That season, he smacked 6 home runs and drove in 24 runs for Minnesota.

He matched that home run total in 1974 with Detroit, hitting 6 and collecting 17 RBIs in 43 games.

The lefty finished with 57 career RBIs. His power numbers reflected his role off the bench and as a part-time starter, not an everyday guy.

Career Power Numbers:

• Total Home Runs: 16
• Total RBIs: 57
• Best Single Season: 6 HR, 24 RBI (1971)

Fielding and Positions Played

Nettles mainly played outfield, with a lot of time in center field. His defensive stats show he could handle himself across different spots.

While with Minnesota, he logged plenty of innings in center. In 1971, he played 400.2 innings there and posted a .986 fielding percentage.

He also spent some time at first base and in left and right field. His range and fielding numbers were solid, especially in center, where he handled 2.46 chances per game in 1971.

That kind of versatility made him valuable off the bench. Teams moved him around the outfield whenever they needed.

Nettles wrapped up his playing days with the Oakland Athletics in 1981, appearing in just one game that season.

Notable Moments and Historical Significance

Jim Nettles found a unique spot in baseball history with his Major League debut for the Minnesota Twins and his connection to the famous Nettles family. His career stretched across continents and included some real contributions to baseball’s international growth.

Major League Debut and Key Games

Jim Nettles made his MLB debut on September 7, 1970 with the Minnesota Twins. He got called up after his older brother Graig had already been traded to the Cleveland Indians.

His most productive year came in 1974 with the Detroit Tigers. Nettles played in 43 games and hit 6 home runs, flashing his power at the highest level.

His final MLB appearance was on September 13, 1981 with the Oakland Athletics. He was 34 by then and had played his last of 240 major league games.

Nettles finished with a .220 batting average and 16 home runs in the big leagues. The numbers were modest, but his determination to keep chasing the majors with four different teams says a lot about his love for the game.

Nettles Brothers Home Run Feat

The Nettles brothers achieved something rare in professional baseball. Both Jim and his older brother Graig Nettles made it to the majors after getting drafted by the Minnesota Twins.

Graig Nettles became a star third baseman, especially with the New York Yankees. Jim took a different route as an outfielder, playing for four MLB teams.

The brothers had a reunion in 1989 when they played together for the St. Lucie Legends and Bradenton Explorers in the Senior Professional Baseball Association. Jim batted .216 in 21 games for Bradenton during that family moment.

Both brothers went to San Diego State College and came up through the same amateur baseball scene before turning pro.

International and Minor League Play

Jim Nettles took his baseball career global after his time in MLB. In 1975, he played for the Nankai Hawks in Japan, picking up valuable experience in Japanese pro baseball.

He also played in the Mexican League in 1976, showing he’d go pretty much anywhere for a shot to keep playing. Not many American players tried that in the 1970s.

Nettles spent nine seasons in Triple-A ball, proving he could play at a high level even when he wasn’t in the majors. That minor league experience paid off when he switched to managing.

After hanging up his cleats, he managed minor league teams from 1983 to 1996. His record was 792-903 (.467) with several organizations, including the Athletics, Mariners, and Blue Jays systems.

Post-Retirement Activities

After his playing career ended in 1981, Jim Nettles moved into coaching and management in pro baseball. His involvement in baseball stretched across five decades, thanks to different instructional and developmental roles.

Coaching and Managerial Career

Nettles started his post-playing days as a minor league manager in 1983. He led different teams for 13 years, sticking with it until 1996.

He managed at several levels in the minor league system. Nettles put in the work to help young players move up in professional baseball.

Switching from player to manager gave him the chance to pass on his major league experience to the next generation. Playing for four MLB teams? That gave him a real sense of how different organizations operate.

He brought a sharp understanding of the mental side of baseball to his managing. Since he’d played in Japan and Mexico, Nettles could offer players a wider view of what pro baseball looks like outside the U.S.

Work as a Hitting Instructor

After managing, Nettles took on more specialized coaching, focusing as a hitting instructor. His years as a major league outfielder really fit him for this job.

He worked with players on their batting mechanics and how they approached each at-bat. Nettles leaned on his own experiences at the plate to help hitters get better.

He kept things focused on the basics and mental prep. Players got to learn from someone who’d seen all kinds of pitching at the top level.

This job let him work one-on-one with players. That personal approach made it easier for him to spot what each hitter needed to improve.

Contributions to Local Baseball

Nettles got involved with baseball in his own community after his pro days. He didn’t just stick to the big leagues—he jumped into youth and amateur baseball too.

He ran clinics and instructional camps. These events gave young players a real shot at learning the right way to play from the start.

By sharing his experience, Nettles helped local players see what it takes to reach higher levels. That kind of guidance is rare, honestly.

His mix of playing and coaching experience made him a huge asset for community baseball. Nettles played a real part in shaping future players in the sport.

Legacy and Online Resources

Jim Nettles’ career statistics and achievements are easy to find in online baseball databases and regional halls of fame. He kept giving back to the game long after his playing days, coaching and mentoring for decades.

Lasting Impact on Baseball

Jim Nettles carved out his own spot in baseball history with his brother Graig. On September 14, 1974, the two became the fourth brother duo to homer in the same major league game.

The Nettles brothers together rank 10th all-time among brother combos with 406 major league home runs. That’s a pretty wild stat, honestly.

After retiring, Nettles managed in the minors from 1983 to 1996. He worked with several organizations, including the Athletics, Mariners, Blue Jays, and Rangers systems.

His coaching career kept going into the mid-2000s. Nettles also served as a hitting instructor for youth in Pierce County, Washington, staying active in developing baseball talent.

Retrosheet and The Baseball Cube Profiles

The Baseball Cube keeps a full set of stats for Jim Nettles. You can find his MLB, Minor League, College, and Summer League career numbers from 1970 to 1986. The site lists his player bio, draft results, and every career transaction.

Baseball-Reference.com notes his career .220 batting average, 16 home runs, and 57 RBIs in 240 games. You can track his moves across four MLB teams during his six seasons.

These sites keep detailed records of his time with the Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, and Oakland Athletics. They even cover his international stint in Japan with the Nankai Hawks in 1975.

Recognition and Honors

The Tacoma Oldtimer Baseball & Softball Hall of Fame welcomed Jim Nettles thanks to his five decades in professional baseball. They wanted to celebrate everything he did as a player, manager, and coach.

His hall of fame profile really leans into his ties with the Pacific Northwest. Back in 1973, Nettles played for the Tacoma Twins, where he hit .262 and knocked 15 homers in Triple-A.

The Tacoma Sports Museum gives him a nod too. According to their records, he came back to the Puget Sound area in 1981 to play for the Tacoma Tigers, then moved into coaching.

In Tacoma, he played with guys like Tom Kelly and Charlie Manuel, who both went on to win World Series as managers. Nettles shared the field with some serious talent during his minor league days, didn’t he?