Jacob

Nix

Nix underwent Tommy John surgery back in 2021 and hasn’t appeared in the majors since the 2018 season due to elbow issues and off-field legal issues. The 26-year-old righty was once a promising pitching prospect for the Padres and will attempt to rebuild his long-term value as a starting pitcher overseas in Japan this upcoming season.

Nix hasn’t appeared in a major league game since 2018 due to elbow issues and a criminal trespassing charge, and now there’s a chance he won’t pitch again until sometime in 2022. The now 25-year-old right-hander looked like a promising pitching prospect for the Padres at one point and could have filled an important swingman-type role this season. There should be more on his status later this week.

Nix cleared waivers after being designated for assignment and will remain in the organization. The 23-year-old missed most of 2019 with elbow issues and was arrested last month on charges of criminal trespassing.

Nix missed a large chunk of this season with elbow issues and was arrested last month on charges of criminal trespassing. There still might be some interest in him on waivers.

According to the police report obtained by ABC 15 in Arizona, Nix crawled through a doggie door into a stranger’s house and was kicked and tased by the homeowner before being apprehended a few streets away. The initial call to the Peoria Police Department came at 3:30 a.m. Nix, a former third-round pick, struggled through elbow issues in 2019 and logged only 24 1/3 minor league innings, though he did register a promising 1.85 ERA when healthy. He had been pitching for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League.

It was Nix’s first rehab appearance at the Triple-A level, and it went very well; at least statistically. He allowed just three hits, and issued just one walk. The 23-year-old is recovering from a small tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, and he elected to rest and rehab rather than undergo Tommy John surgery. The talented 23-year-old has a chance to finish the year with the Padres, and if not, he should battle for a rotation spot with San Diego in spring training.

An MRI showed that Nix’s ulnar collateral ligament tear is small, and a second opinion led him to believe he has a shot to rehab the injury and pitch this season. Obviously, Nix still has a long road ahead, but it would be a boost to the Padres’ depth if he can successfully rehab the injury.

This was just a technicality, as Nix was a lock to begin the year on the disabled list. The question now is whether the right-hander will undergo Tommy John surgery or attempt to have the tear heal naturally. He’s not going to be pitching anytime soon for the Padres, either way.

Nix will be examined by Dr. Neal ElAttrache before a course of treatment is decided upon. The 23-year-old right-hander, who entered Padres camp in competition for an Opening Day rotation spot, could suddenly be facing Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery.

That, of course, is his throwing arm. The good news is that the Padres are optimistic that this isn’t going to be a long-term issue, and think that Nix has a chance to resume throwing next week. The bad news is that they have no idea what the extent of the injury is, so that might be optimistic. Nix is trying to win one of the spots in the rotation right now, but there’s a real chance he could be opening the year on the injured list, now.