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James Nelson (Photo Courtesy of the Charleston Dirty Birds)

When James Nelson was released by the Yankees in 2022, he had to figure out where to go if he wanted to continue his playing career.

But Nelson’s path to a partner league was a little clearer than most. His uncle was Rockies 2004 first-round pick Chris Nelson. And like his uncle, James had played at Redan High in Stone Mountain, Ga. 

That is the same program that produced Taj Bradley, Domonic Brown and, crucially for the purposes of this narrative, brothers Brandon and P.J. Phillips.

When he was left without a team, James Nelson quickly found a spot with the Atlantic League’s Lexington Legends, who were managed by P.J. Phillips. After a couple of conversations, Nelson was added to the Legends’ roster late in the 2022 season.

In that brief taste of the partner leagues, Nelson was immediately one of the league’s best players. He hit .400/.476/.855 with six home runs in just 17 games. On a team that had eight former big leaguers, Nelson matched and exceeded everyone else swing-for-swing.

He was just getting started. Since then, Nelson has been arguably the best player in the partner leagues.

“P.J. took me under his wing,” Nelson said.

Phillips went to the Frontier League to manage the New Jersey Jackals in 2023. Nelson went with him. Nelson hit .388/.481/.713 that season, posting a 30-30 season in just 91 games. He averaged nearly three total bases per game. His 111 runs scored that season are the all-time Frontier League record. He won the league’s MVP award.

The two split up for 2024. Nelson went to the Mexican League and earned a spot on the North Division all-star team for Durango as he hit .297/.425/.459.

But all of that proved to be an appetizer for the 2025 season. Nelson had one of the best seasons in Atlantic League history. He hit .315/.395/.575 with 34 homers and 53 steals in 124 games. 

In the first 26 seasons of the Atlantic League, no hitter had ever had a 30-30 season. Only three had had a 20-20 season.

Nelson blew by those marks with ease. By the time he hit his 30th home run, Nelson had already stolen 40 bases. He finished with a 30-50 season and won the Atlantic League MVP award. 

For his remarkable season, Nelson is Baseball America’s 2025 Independent/Partner Leagues Player of the Year.

“I knew he was going to hit 30 home runs,” Phillips said. “There were more games, and he hits better pitching. In a league that throws more strikes, I knew that he’d hit 30 homers. I thought 30-40 was possible. 

“For him to steal 53, I didn’t expect that.”

Nelson never stole more than 16 bases in a season in affiliated ball. But the seeds were always there. The Marlins drafted Nelson in the 15th round in 2016 out of Cisco JC in Texas. The Yankees traded for Nelson after the 2019 season.

“I think my time with the Yankees, a baserunning coach helped me open my mindset about baserunning,” Nelson said. “Once I got a little more experience with it, and saw how pitchers move, it helped me open up.”

At this point, there are few things left for Nelson to accomplish in the partner leagues. He has two MVP trophies in his two full seasons. 

The hope is that Nelson’s improved swing and baserunning savvy could find him a path back to affiliated ball. It’s a tough path for a player who just turned 28, but Nelson was once a premium prospect in the Marlins system, and he’s shown what he can do against experienced Mexican League and Atlantic League pitchers.

“I still have one goal: to make it to the major leagues,” Nelson said. “Every day I’m trying to get better and stay consistent to reach my goal.”

For his part, Phillips would love to have the problem of trying to figure out how to replace the Atlantic League’s best player.

“That’s the goal. I don’t want to see James any more,” Phillips said. “I believe if he gets that last shot, he’ll take advantage of it.”