Tomas Nido: Long Time Mets Backup Catcher (2017 - 2024)
Parents: His mother Liana Vicens competed in the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, as a swimmer at the age of eleven. His father Tomas Sr. won a tennis medal in the 1982 Central American & Caribbean Games.
Tomas' grandfather was a Puerto Rican National basketball Player. Another relative included a great Uncle, Juan Vincens, was once dubbed "The Best Player in the World" in the 1959 FIBA Championships.
Quotes- Tomas Nido: "We are a very athletic family. It sticks out about my mom, she was very young, so the work ethic from a young age is something to be really proud of & has definitely helped me".
Instead, the New York Mets selected him as an 8th round pick in 2012 & he we went to A ball with the Kingsport Mets. Tomas then spent two seasons with the Brooklyn Cyclones (2013-2014) before climbing up the minor league ladder.
In 2016 he won a batting title with the St. Lucie Mets. The next year he moved up to AA Binghamton & played in the Futures Game.
It was that year he got a big-league September call up.
Nido is rated as a fine defensive catcher who easily makes pitches look like strikes for pitchers.
Mets Career: Nido made his MLB debut on September 13th, 2017, as a 9th inning defensive replacement in a 17-5 Mets loss to the Chicago Cubs. The next night he got his first career hit, coming in as a pinch hitter. He would make another late inning appearances, collecting another hit that game as well. He closed out the season starting two games behind the plate.
2018: In 2018 he began the year at AA Binghamton, then was brought up on April 11th due to the ulnar collateral injury to Travis d'Arnaud. But he was only batting .159 at the end of May & was sent down to AAA Las Vegas.
Mets Career: Nido made his MLB debut on September 13th, 2017, as a 9th inning defensive replacement in a 17-5 Mets loss to the Chicago Cubs. The next night he got his first career hit, coming in as a pinch hitter. He would make another late inning appearances, collecting another hit that game as well. He closed out the season starting two games behind the plate.
He was brought back up in late August. On September 1st, Nido doubled in the 5th inning tying up the game at one, they went on to a 2-1 extra inning win. That week Nido reached base in five straight games collecting five RBIs.
On September 13th he hit his first career HR, coming off the Marlins Jeff Brigham in a 5-2 win over the Marlins.
2019: Nido would make the team out of Spring Training, as the team's backup catcher behind Wilson Ramos. He would have a great rapport behind the plate with Mets pitchers, especially Noah Syndergaard eventually being used almost exclusively as his private catcher.
In 2019 he batted .191 with 4 HRs 5 doubles & 14 RBIs in 50 games, 136 at bats. Nido's defense was good as usual, playing in 48 games posting a .992 fielding % making just three errors, although base runners stole 34 of 37 bases on him. The Mets finished third under manager Mickey Callaway who was let in the off season.
2020:
In the Covid shortened 2020 season the Mets resigned Rene Rivera, giving Nido some competition in the backup role.
In the Covid shortened 2020 season the Mets resigned Rene Rivera, giving Nido some competition in the backup role.As the season finally began in late July, Nido got into his first game in the third game as he doubled & drew a walk.
Grand Slam & Six RBI Game: On August 13th he had a monster day against the Washington Nationals. Nido hit a grand slam HR off Seth Romero, the first grand slam of his career.
Nido soon contracted the Covid19 coronavirus & missed the last month of the season. At the time he was batting .292. He spent 18 days bedridden but made a strong recovery to return in 2021.
2021: As the Mets felt they upgraded the catcher spot, bringing on James McCann, they left the backup spot for Nido once again.
In his first start on April 13th, he hit a triple & scored a run in the Mets shut out of the Phillies. On May 5th, he hit his first HR, a two-run shot in a 7-1 Mets win in St. Louis.
On May 18th, his 9th inning HR off the Braves Will Smith broke a 3-3 tie in Atlanta which proved to be the game winning hit.
That week Nido drove in eight runs over an eight-game period. He drove in eleven of his 13 RBIs in the month of May as he would only drive in two more runs thru the rest of the year.
Nido finished batting .222 with 3 HRs 5 doubles & 13 RBIs. Although he had spent four separate times on the IL he played in 58 games. Behind the plate he was outstanding, making just 5 errors in 443 chances, as he threw out 57% of would-be base stealers & posted a .989 fielding % in 52 games.
Trivia: According to stat cast he was the best pitch framer in baseball.
The season began for Nido with him hitting safely in his first three games. He closed out the month driving in four runs.
On May 10th, James McCann went down with injury for the first time of the year giving Nido more playing time. The Mets also brought up Patrick Mazeika as he backed up Nido but was gone in early August after batting just .191.
In the 8th inning his two run double off Jordan Weems drove in two runs in the Mets 5-0. On the day he collected the first four hit game of his career while collecting three RBIs.
On June 5th in a big series in Los Angeles, Nido singled in the Mets three run 8th inning bringing in Mark Canha in the Mets 5-4 win.
On July 9th Nido came to bat & doubled off Tanner Scott bringing in Mark Canha with the games
tying run. Brandon Nimmo reached on an error as Tanner Scott's went wild scoring Nido with the game winning run. In August he hit safely in six straight games while driving in three runs.
tying run. Brandon Nimmo reached on an error as Tanner Scott's went wild scoring Nido with the game winning run. In August he hit safely in six straight games while driving in three runs.
On September 2nd, Nido had a multi-RBI game driving in two runs in a 7-3 win at Washington. A
Three RBI Game & First HR: On September 11th he hit his first HR of the year, a solo shot off the Marlins Tommy Nance. Nido also had a two run double in the 5th inning for his second three RBI game of the season.
In the final month as the Mets fought to remain in first place Nido batted .305 with 18 hits, three HRs (the only three he hit all season) & drove in nine runs.
Nido ended the year leading the NL with 12 sacrifice hits. He batted .239 with career highs in hits (68) doubles (15) RBIs (28) runs scored (31) & games played (98).
NLWC Series: Nido played all three games of the NLWC series getting a hit in the Game 32 win. Overall, he was 1-8 in the series.
2023: In the off season the Mets gave him a new two-year deal. He was expected to be the backup catcher to Francisco Alvarez.
In Spring Training 2023 Nido hit three HRs & drove in five runs batting .378 thru March 24th.
2024: In Spring Training 2024 he was a non-roster invitee & began the year at AAA Syracuse.
Nido was brought up in early April when Francisco Alvarez went on the IL. Nido would play in 32 games with the Mets playing solid defense. At the plate he hit .229 with three HRs & eight RBIs.
Post Mets Career: On June 19th he signed with the Chicago Cubs. In 16 games behind the plate, he threw out 33% of would-be base stealers. AT bat he hit just .128 with a HR & four RBIs.
In January 2025 he signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers.
In 306 games behind the plate, he has a .990 fielding% making 26 errors in 2569 chances. He threw out 21.9% of would-be base stealers while turning 13 double plays.
Family: In November 2020, Tomas & his wife Danielle had a daughter.
