David Nied

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. Baseball America rated Nied as the 56th best prospect in baseball prior to the 1992 season and the 23rd best prospect in baseball prior to the 1993 season.

Despite excelling in 1992 spring training, Nied was optioned to the Triple-A Richmond Braves to start the 1992 season. He made his major league debut for the Braves on September 1, 1992, after MLB rosters expanded.

Nied was the first pick for the expansion Colorado Rockies in the 1992 Major League Baseball expansion draft. Nied started in the first ever game for the Rockies, taking the loss against the New York Mets. He also pitched a number of other firsts for the Rockies, including first strikeout, first walk, first complete game, and first complete game shutout. He compiled a 5-9 won-loss record in 1993 and went 9-7 in 1994 but won no more games in the next two years, playing sparingly. In 1996 he was granted free agency and joined the Cincinnati Reds organization. He did not appear in a game for the Reds, and has since left baseball. In 2004, he was named a member of the Richmond Braves' top 18 players from the last twenty years. He was also the only Colorado Rocky to wear #17 besides for Todd Helton, whom the number is now retired for.

Personal life

Nied retired from baseball at 28 after an arm injury. He now sells equipment for his father's agricultural products company. He is married to Heather Cranford, a former contestant on the TV show The Bachelor.