organization in 1976. He did not make the team out of spring training and was released. He played for the Indios de Ciudad Juárez of the Mexican League that season, but batted .196. He spent the 1977 season with the Columbus Clippers, the Pittsburgh Pirates Class AAA affiliate. After the 1977 season, the Pirates traded Nettles and Paul Djakonow to the Kansas City Royals for Roger Nelson and Gary Martz. Nettles played for the Omaha Royals of the American Association in 1978 and 1979. In September 1979, the Royals promoted Nettles to the major leagues. He played in 11 games for Kansas City. In 1980, Nettles played for Columbus, the New York Yankees Class AAA affiliate. The Oakland Athletics purchased Nettles before the 1981 season, and assigned him to the Tacoma Tigers of the PCL. He batted .241 for Tacoma during the 1981 season and the Athletics promoted Nettles to the major leagues in September. He appeared in one game for the 1981 Athletics. Nettles remained with the team in the 1981 MLB postseason, but was not on the active roster. For his major league career, Nettles batted .220 with 16 home runs in 240 games played. He played for the Bradenton Explorers of the Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989. Managing career Nettles served as a coach for Tacoma in the 1982 season. He stayed in the Athletics organization, becoming the manager of the Idaho Falls A's in the Pioneer League, managing them in 1983 and 1984. The next season, Nettles became the manager of the Madison Muskies. He managed in Madison through the 1989 season, when he sought to move back closer to his home in Tacoma, Washington. In 1990, Nettles became the manager of the Peninsula Pilots, a Class A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. He managed the Jacksonville Suns of the Southern League in 1991. After the season, the Mariners opted not to renew Nettles' contract. The Toronto Blue Jays hired Nettles to manage the Medicine Hat Blue Jays in the Pioneer League for the 1992 season. He managed in Hagerstown Suns of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1993 and the Dunedin Blue Jays of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League in 1994 and 1995. The Blue Jays did not retain Nettles following the 1995 season. In 1996, Nettles managed the Amarillo Dillas of the Texas–Louisiana League, until he was fired in August. The