Former New York Mets minor league pitcher Matt Pobereyko has died. He was 31.
The Mexican Pacific winter baseball league, where he recently pitched, confirmed his death in a tweet on Feb. 25.
The Hammond, Indiana, native attended Kentucky Wesleyan and pitched for the school from 2013-2015. He moved around in the minor, independent and international leagues throughout his career, playing in the Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets and Miami Marlins organizations. He was a member of the Mets' Triple-A team in Las Vegas in 2018.
One of his former teams, the St. Paul Saints, wrote on Twitter that "he was an incredible teammate and fierce competitor, but an even nicer person. He will be missed by all that knew him. We send our love to his family and friends."
Another team, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, tweeted, "The Blue Wahoos join the baseball community in mourning the passing of Matt Pobereyko. A member of our 2021 team, Matt was beloved on and off the field. Our prayers and love are with his family, friends, and teammates."
This past winter, Pobereyko pitched for Algodoneros de Guasave in the Mexican Pacific winter league and recorded a league-leading 73 strikeouts in 70 1/3 innings.
He had signed with Saraperos de Saltillo, a summer team in the Mexican League, last fall.
