Xavier Nady
Louis Cardinals originally drafted Nady in the 4th round of the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft (134th overall) after he was named Northern California Player of the Year in his senior year of high school, but he did not sign professionally at that time. After attending UC Berkeley, where he set the all-time Pac-10 Conference record for career slugging percentage (.729), Nady was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft by the San Diego Padres (49th overall).
Nady signed a major league contract and became the 18th player to go directly to the major leagues without making his professional debut in the minor leagues since 1965. Nady only appeared in one game and spent extensive time in the minor leagues following his debut.
He was named Padres Minor League Player of the Year in 2001, also collecting the California League's Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year awards that season. Nady underwent an emergency appendectomy early in the morning on May 30, 2006; he was placed on the 15-day disabled list, and returned to the lineup on June 18.
Pittsburgh Pirates
On July 30, 2006, Mets set-up relief pitcher Duaner Sanchez was injured when the cab in which he was a passenger was broadsided.
The Mets' pitching corps was already depleted with star hurler Pedro Martinez on the disabled list. Desperate for pitching, the Mets felt that a trade was imperative and were forced to give up Nady, their starting right fielder, to the Pirates in exchange for pitchers Óliver Pérez and Roberto Hernandez.
While he was a Met for a relatively short time, Nady had performed well and quickly become a fan favorite at Shea Stadium. The trade shocked several fans who thought Nady had been a valuable part of the team, slugging 14 HR (7 of them tying the game or giving the Mets the lead) and driving in 40 runs in only 75 games.
The deal came as such a surprise to certain fans that a band known only as "Kuff and the Buttheads" penned a song "The Ballad of X," a chronicle of his time with the Mets, which garnered mild publicity in baseball blogs, and Internet forums.
He can be seen hitting a home run as a Met on TV in the background of the movie I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. Coincidentally, it was against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the same year he was traded to them.
New York Yankees
On July 26, 2008, the New York Yankees acquired Nady and pitcher Dámaso Marté from the Pittsburgh Pirates for Jose Tabata, Ross Ohlendorf, Dan McCutchen, and Jeff Karstens.
Nady had a career high 6 RBI as the Yankees came back to beat the Los Angeles Angels on August 3, 2008.
Uniform Number
During his major league career with both the Padres and Mets, Nady wore uniform number 22, with the Pirates his uniform number was changed to 25 for a brief stint before his number was again changed, this time back to his original number 22.
When he was traded to the Yankees, he was assigned number 29, due to LaTroy Hawkins being assigned 22 at the time. Shortly after, Hawkins was traded to the Houston Astros and Nady switched back to 22.
Personal life
Nady is married to Meredith.