Tony Nieto was born and raised in Southern California, he played his high school ball at Schurr High School, in Montebello California, where he was named to the All-Foothill League team and All-Area team his senior year.  He then played four years at the University of Southern California and was named team captain his senior year at USC.  In his four year career at USC Nieto started at every position on the field except 2nd Base and Centerfield, until he settled in as a pitcher his senior year.  In 1994, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds.  He played 2 seasons in the Reds organization and one in the Baltimore Orioles organization.  Nieto has also coached at the college level with Loyola Marymount University (2000 & 2001).  At Loyola Marymount, he helped guide the Lions in the 2000 season to a 3rd consecutive West Coast Conference championship.  The Lions finished the regular season ranked 10th in the nation, eventually losing in the western regional semi-final to host Cal St. Fullerton.
     Nieto has had the honor of having five of his former players play in the major leagues: Anthony Reyes (Pitcher), Cal High Alumni 1999; Bill Traber (Pitcher), LMU Alumni 2000, played with the New York Yankees in 2008; Josh Whitesell (Pitcher/1B), LMU Alumni 2002 played with the Arizona D-Backs and the Washington Nationals in 2009; C.J. Wilson (Pitcher), LMU Alumni 2001, and Joc Pederson (Outfielder), Waiama Waves 2010, currently playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Nieto also coached for five summers in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League, during that span his teams reached the championship game twice.  In 2009, his Waiama Waves team set the league record for the most wins in league history with a 28-12 mark.  
     Coach Nieto was the head coach at California High School, in Whittier California for 16 years.  During his time at California HS, he finished with the most career wins as baseball coach in school history with 265. His teams won 7 league championships and made 13 trips to the CIF playoffs); in 2007 & 2008 the Condors reached the Quarter Finals in consecutive seasons and in 2014 & 2015 they reached the Semi-Finals in consecutive seasons.  In 2009 (Nieto's first league championship team), the Condors swept the Del Rio League championship at all levels (Varsity, JV and Frosh).  This feat was also repeated in 2015 as the Condors once again swept the Del Rio League Championship at all levels (Varsity, JV & Frosh).  In 2015, the Condors entered the CIF playoffs as the #1 ranked team in their division (a first in school and Del Rio league history). In 2016, the Condors won a 5th consecutive Del Rio League Championship. In 2012 & 2015 Nieto was named the Daily News Coach of the Year. Coach Nieto’s tenure at Cal High he coached 15 All-CIF players, 5 Player of the Years, 11 Pitcher of the Years, 2 Defensive Players of the Year, an Offensive Player of the Year, and has also saw 50 of his former players go on to play at the college level.
The last two seasons (2019 & 2020), Coach Nieto was the pitching coach at Capistrano Valley HS and worked under new head coach Adam Sorgi. In Nieto’s first season at Capo Valley he helped guided the team to a South Coast League Championship. His pitching staff had a season ERA of 1.70. During his time at Capo Valley, Coach Nieto had 4 of his pitchers earn scholarships and a total of 7 pitchers continued on to play at the college level.
     Coach Nieto graduated from USC in 1995 with his BA in Communications and also has a Masters and teaching credential in Special Education.