By Nathan Krohn
Fred Nelson has been a player, advanced scout, coach and manager during a baseball career that has spanned nearly half a century. His love for the game is what keeps him out of retirement and his love for teaching is what makes him the Boise Hawks 2015 development supervisor.
A Phoenix, Arizona native, Nelson was a 130 pound freshman walk-on for the Arizona State University Junior Varsity baseball team. His sophomore year he made varsity, played second base and won a National Championship. His junior year he was named an All-American.
In 1968, the Los Angeles Dodgers selected Nelson in the eighteenth round of the amateur draft. He played four years in the Dodgers organization, reaching the Double-A level.
After his playing career ended, Nelson had success as an assistant and head coach with several schools, including the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he led the team to the 1973 Division II College World Series.
Nelson graduated to the MLB and worked with the Chicago White Sox organization before beginning a 27-year run with the Houston Astros that included positions such as special assistant to the general manager and director of minor league operations.
After spending so much of his career with the Astros organization, his decision to leave and join the Colorado Rockies was not an easy one.
“It was difficult for me to leave,” Nelson said during a phone interview. “I had strong ties with the people in Houston but it was time to move on.”
One of the main reasons Nelson chose to join the Rockies organization was the opportunity he would have to once again teach young baseball players.
“This is kind of like my last hurrah,” Nelson said. “I jumped at the opportunity to get back down on the field and teach.”
In 2013, the Rockies made an innovative move to oversee player development by assigning a development supervisor for each of the six minor league affiliates.
Nelson explains that his role is to ensure the Rockies philosophies and development principles remain consistent throughout the Hawks organization.
“I’ll oversee the operations in Boise and look at things from 30,000 feet,” Nelson said. “Throughout the whole organization we want to develop players that will contribute on all levels to benefit both us and other teams.”
While Nelson is currently preparing for the season at spring training in Arizona, he says he’s anxious to get to Boise and help his players develop into big league talents.
“I’m looking forward to being a part of the group and meeting the staff,” Nelson said. “I’m thrilled when I see players who I’ve worked with mature physically and emotionally and turn into big league players.”
Fred Nelson has been a player, advanced scout, coach and manager during a baseball career that has spanned nearly half a century. His love for the game is what keeps him out of retirement and his love for teaching is what makes him the Boise Hawks 2015 development supervisor.
A Phoenix, Arizona native, Nelson was a 130 pound freshman walk-on for the Arizona State University Junior Varsity baseball team. His sophomore year he made varsity, played second base and won a National Championship. His junior year he was named an All-American.
In 1968, the Los Angeles Dodgers selected Nelson in the eighteenth round of the amateur draft. He played four years in the Dodgers organization, reaching the Double-A level.
After his playing career ended, Nelson had success as an assistant and head coach with several schools, including the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he led the team to the 1973 Division II College World Series.
Nelson graduated to the MLB and worked with the Chicago White Sox organization before beginning a 27-year run with the Houston Astros that included positions such as special assistant to the general manager and director of minor league operations.
After spending so much of his career with the Astros organization, his decision to leave and join the Colorado Rockies was not an easy one.
“It was difficult for me to leave,” Nelson said during a phone interview. “I had strong ties with the people in Houston but it was time to move on.”
One of the main reasons Nelson chose to join the Rockies organization was the opportunity he would have to once again teach young baseball players.
“This is kind of like my last hurrah,” Nelson said. “I jumped at the opportunity to get back down on the field and teach.”
In 2013, the Rockies made an innovative move to oversee player development by assigning a development supervisor for each of the six minor league affiliates.
Nelson explains that his role is to ensure the Rockies philosophies and development principles remain consistent throughout the Hawks organization.
“I’ll oversee the operations in Boise and look at things from 30,000 feet,” Nelson said. “Throughout the whole organization we want to develop players that will contribute on all levels to benefit both us and other teams.”
While Nelson is currently preparing for the season at spring training in Arizona, he says he’s anxious to get to Boise and help his players develop into big league talents.
“I’m looking forward to being a part of the group and meeting the staff,” Nelson said. “I’m thrilled when I see players who I’ve worked with mature physically and emotionally and turn into big league players.”