2016 Baseball Roster
Jersey Number 38
J.D. Nielsen
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-6 / 225
- Position:
- LHP
- Hometown:
- Winterset, Iowa
- High School:
- Martensdale-St. Marys
Career Highs
- Innings Pitched: 3.1 vs. Eastern Illinois, 4/7/15
- Strikeouts: 5, 3 times (Florida Gulf Coast, 2/28/16)
Senior - 2016
- 2016 MLB Draft - 34th round - Los Angeles Angels
- Big Ten Sportsmanship Award nominee
- Academic All-Big Ten
- 5-1, 3.60 ERA, 5 BB, 34 SO, 30.0 IP, 29 appearances
- Second on the team in saves (6)
- Tied for second on the team in wins (5)
- Fifth on the team in ERA (3.60)
- 3-0 in Big Ten games
- Third in Illinois history in career appearances (79)
- Fourth in Illinois history in Big Ten career appearances (32)
- Fifth in Illinois history in season appearances (29)
- Fourth in Illinois history in Big Ten season appearances (14)
- Led the Big Ten in appearances during conference games (14)
- Third in the Big Ten in appearances during the regular season (29)
Junior - 2015
- 3-1 with a 2.92 ERA in 24 appearances and two saves
- 17 scoreless outings in 24 total appearances out of the bullpen
- Picked up his third win of the season in relief against Wright State in the NCAA Champaign Regional (6/1), escaping a bases loaded situation in the fifth
- Appeared twice in relief during the Big Ten Tournament, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings and striking out two
- Picked up second save vs. Rutgers (5/9) and second win vs. Rutgers (5/10)
- Earned first career win at Eastern Illinois (4/7) with a career-high 3.1 scoreless innings and three strikeouts
- Retired both batters he faced vs. Kent State (3/25)
- Tossed 2.1 scoreless innings in two appearances during the USF series and struck out two
- Had a career-best five strikeouts vs. Lindenwood-Belleville (3/18)
- Earned first career save at Lamar (2/14), recording the final four outs
Sophomore - 2014
- Made 14 appearances out of the bullpen and went 1-0 with a 7.43 ERA
- Did not allow a run in 10 of 14 appearances
- Registered 10 strikeouts and two walks in 13.1 innings pitched
- Earned first career victory following two scoreless innings of relief as part of a staff day vs. Illinois State (3/26)
- Turned in a scoreless inning against Purdue (3/28), vs. Missouri (4/23) at Busch Stadium and vs. Indiana (4/27)
- Recorded an out on only batter faced at Southern Illinois (3/15)
- Threw a scoreless inning with a strikeout vs. FGCU (3/1) and Indiana State (3/18)
- Faced one batter at Georgia State (2/16) and recorded an out
- Played for the Kenosha Kingfish of the Northwoods League along with Illini teammate Zack Kolakowski during the summer
Freshman - 2013
- Pitched in 12 games with 11 appearances out of the bullpen and one start, totaling a 5.59 ERA, eight strikeouts and seven walks in 9.2 innings
- Turned in best outing with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts at Illinois State (4/16)
- Made first career start vs. Southern Illinois (4/30), receiving a no decision after three innings and two earned runs
- Thew a perfect inning of relief with a strikeout at Ohio State (4/19)
- Pitched 0.2 scoreless and hitless innings at Baylor (3/8)
- Made Illini debut in the season-opening victory at Tennessee Tech (2/15)
- Played for the Lake Eerie Monarchs of the Great Lakes League during the summer
High School
- Threw a no-hitter in the Class 1A state title game, only the fourth in Iowa state finals history, to lead Martensdale-St. Marys to its third-straight state title
- Went 8-3 in 2012
- Named to the 2012 IHSBCA All-State Super Team and also was a first-team Pride of Iowa Conference selection
- Went 9-0 with a 1.43 ERA while striking out 72 and walking 19 in 53 2/3 innings in 2011
- Led Martensdale-St. Marys to its second-straight Iowa Class 1A championship in 2011, extending its winning streak to a national-record 87 games
- Held opponents to a .146 batting average in 2011
- Also hit .425, third-best on the team, with 10 home runs, eight doubles, and a team-best 62 RBIs
- Named to the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association All-State second team in 2011
- Named to the IHSBCA All-Southwest District first team
- Named first-team All-Pride of Iowa Conference in 2011.
Personal
- Born Oct. 9, 1993
- Parents are Dan and Lonna Nielsen
- Majoring in recreation, sport and tourism with a concentration in sport management
- Has three sisters, Jaclyn, Jenna and JoAnn
- Father, Dan, played football at Waldorf College and Drake University, and mother, Lonna, played basketball at Waldorf
- Favorite athlete is Jeremy Hellickson
- Earliest baseball memory is playing USSSA baseball since he was nine years old
- His father most influenced his athletic career because he pushed him to be the best he can be and has been to nearly all of his games
Illini Baseball | 03.18.25 Cinematic Recap vs. Indiana State
Wednesday, March 19
ILLINI BASE | Head Coach Dan Hartleb Availability (2/12/25)
Thursday, February 13
Illini Athletics | Week of Appreciation Coaches Video Dan Hartleb
Monday, December 09
Illini Baseball | Team IMPACT Signing
Friday, September 22
