Tampa Bay Rays Minor League Players - Matt Nevarez

Matthew Andrew Nevarez (born February 26, 1987) is a right-handed minor league relief pitcher currently with the Tampa Bay Rays. On February 4, 2013, Nevarez was invited to the Tampa Bay Rays major league camp as a non-roster invitee.

Nevarez was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 10th round of the 2005 amateur draft out of San Fernando High School, and he began his professional career that year. He pitched for the Arizona League Rangers in 2005, going 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA in 28 innings of work. In 2006, he appeared in only one game for the Arizona League Rangers, posting a 9.00 ERA. He did not play at all in 2007.

Nevarez pitched in 16 games for the Spokane Indians in 2008, going 4-2 with a 4.36 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings of work. He began the 2009 season with the Hickory Crawdads, going 1-4 with a 2.83 ERA in 24 appearances with them. On August 18, he was traded to the Astros for Ivan Rodriguez. He finished the season with the Lexington Legends, going 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in eight games with them. Overall, he went 2-4 with a 2.28 ERA in 42 relief appearances in 2009, striking out 63 batters in 43 1/3 innings of work. In 2012, Nevarez pitched with the Wichita Wingnuts in the independent American Association and the Charlotte Stone Crabs and Montgomery Biscuits of the Tampa Bay Rays organization, striking out 68 batters in 44 2/3 innings pitched.

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)