Who Is: Wil Nieves, D-Backs Catcher

Diana Prieto-Bernal interviewing Wil Nieves

By Diana Prieto-Bernal

Wil Nieves plays the catcher position with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He signed with the D-Backs in August of 2012. His first at-bat for the Diamondbacks he hit a two-run homer. He is 36 years old, born on Sept. 25, 1977 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He started his career by being drafted in 1995 by the San Diego Padres. He has been on the roster of several ball clubs, including the Anaheim Angles, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, and Colorado Rockies.

Wil has been married for 10 years to Maria Isabel Nieves, who is from Puerto Rico as well. They have a daughter who was born in Washington.

AZLatinos.com conducted an exclusive interview with Wil in which he offers insights about his life and career, and especially his time with the D-Backs.

AZL: You have been in several teams in this sport. How have you felt about your time with the D-Backs?

WIL: I feel great, it’s a great organization and professional team and we all get along. I love Arizona!

(He was happy to sign with the D-Backs as his experience with them in spring training had always been a great one.)

AZL: In this sport there is fame and fortune and it’s fun to travel, but how hard is it to travel so often?

WIL: It is tough traveling every day. It gets tiring. You can get tired of eating out of a can. I love to play baseball and when the adrenaline kicks in the tiredness goes away. I am an easy-going person, so I make friends everywhere I go. It is a bit hard on my family,

AZL: We know of your loyalty to the D-Backs today! But tell us, how did it feel to play for the New York Yankees?

WIL: It was unbelievable wearing the pin stripes, I never thought that I would sign with the Yankees, it was an amazing feeling to be in their clubhouse with all those great players, Mariano Rivera (Panama), Bernie Williams (Puerto Rico) seeing Jogi Berra (St. Louis, Missouri) 

AZL: You and Miguel Montero share the same position for the team, you as a catcher from Puerto Rico and he from Venezuela. Is there competitiveness? A friendly one!?

WIL: Not at all Miguel and I are good friends, we are good for each other, we share the same goals and that goal is to win the World Series. We help each other.

AZL: Last year when you joined the D-Backs team, in your debut you hit a home run. What did you feel?

WIL: It was awesome, good feeling to win my first game; I started with the right foot.

AZL: Tell us a little more about yourself?

WIL: I love Puerto Rican food, rice, beans, avocados and specially fried plantains. I love comedy. I visit Puerto Rico for Christmas every year; I am also very adapted to life here in the USA. I like to dance; I will dance to anything: Salsa, Merengue, Reggaeton and even Lambada (he laughs). 

I also listen to Christian music (Frankie Ruiz and Tony Vega). My favorite song is “No soy yo” by Tony Vega. I started going to church at 17 years of age; I strongly believe in Christ.

Wil Nieves closed the interview with: “No one is perfect, we all need to believe in someone or something. For me it is Christ; he put me where am I today. He sees everything and makes everything happen.”