Matt Nevarez

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2005
R:  2-1-0, 1.61 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 28.0 IP, 4.2 BB/9, 7.7 K/9

Nevarez got good results in his first season, giving up very few hits, although his walk and K rates were just OK.  He started three times and pitched seven times in relief.  Nevarez hurt his arm late in the season.

2006
R:  0-0-0, 9.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 1.0 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 18.0 K/9

Nevarez aggravated the arm injury from the previous year and essentially missed the season.  He eventually had Tommy John surgery.

2007
DNP

Following the elbow surgery, Nevarez missed the entire season.

2008
A-:  4-2-0, 4.36 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, 43.1 IP, 8.9 BB/9, 10.4 K/9

The Rangers used Nevarez as a swing man in short season ball.  He struck out a lot of batters but obviously had severe control problems.

2009
A (Tex):  1-4-9, 2.83 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 35.0 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 12.9 K/9
A (Hou):  1-0-4, 0.00, 0.36 WHIP, 8.1 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 14.0 K/9

The Rangers moved Nevarez to the bullpen full-time and the move appeared to work, as he got a handle on the control problems and posted a very high K rate.  He went to Houston in a waiver trade for Pudge Rodriguez and pitched even better afterward.  Baseball America ranked him as the Astros’ 15th best prospect after the season.

2010
AA:  2-1-1, 3.76 ERA, 1.98 WHIP, 38.1 IP, 10.8 BB/9, 9.6 K/9

The Astros jumped Nevarez up to AA and his control problems returned in a big way.  He also missed some time during the season with shoulder problems.  Houston outrighted him to the minors after the season.

2011
AA:  0-2-0, 9.00 ERA, 2.24 WHIP, 21.0 IP, 10.7 BB/9, 9.9 K/9
IND:  0-1-1, 2.76 ERA, 0.86 WHIP. 16.1 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 10.5 K/9

The Astros sent Nevarez back to AA and, when he continued to walk over a batter an inning, they released him at mid-season.  He caught on with Wichita in the independent American Association and dominated in relief there.

2012
A+:  1-1-1, 0.57 ERA, 0.38 WHIP, 15.2 IP, 1.7 BB/9, 10.3 K/9
AA:  0-0-1, 3.38 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 2.2 IP, 3.4 BB/9, 16.9 K/9
IND:  3-2-7, 3.08 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 26.1 IP, 3.8 BB/9, 15.4 K/9

Nevarez returned to Wichita and continued to dominate there.  In June, the Red Sox signed him, but they released him the next day.  The Rays signed him a month later and he dominated in high A and in three appearances in AA, striking out 23 batters in 18.1 IP total, while allowing only five hits.

2013
AA:  2-1-1, 2.31 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 11.2 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 10.0 K/9

The Rays sent Nevarez back to AA and he started the season off pitching well, but hurt his shoulder in May and missed the rest of the season.  He became a free agent in the off-season but did not sign with any team.

2014
IND:  4-0-23, 1.59 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 34.0 IP, 3.2 BB/9, 11.1 K/9
AA:  1-1-1, 1.35 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 6.2 IP, 6.8 BB/9, 12.2 K/9

Nevarez went back to Wichita and continued to dominate there until the Pirates acquired him for cash in mid-August.  He got into a half dozen games in relief for Altoona and did pretty much what he always has:  he struck out a lot of batters, was hard to hit, and had trouble with walks.

The Pirates signed Nevarez though 2015.  Otherwise, he’d have been eligible for minor league free agency after the 2014 season.  There’s no obvious reason apparent in his track record why he couldn’t reach the majors if he could stay healthy and start throwing a few more strikes.