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Matt Pobereyko: Former New York Mets minor league pitcher found dead at 31 in his Illinois apartment

Matt Pobereyko first played for Kentucky Wesleyan in college and during its final season, he went 9-2 with a 1.96 ERA in 12 games

WHEATON, CHICAGO: Former New York Mets minor league pitcher Matt Pobereyko has died at the age of 31 after having a heart attack on Saturday, February 25, 2023. The right-handed reliever was found by his girlfriend in their apartment in Wheaton, near Chicago.

In the aftermath of his death, Pobereyko's brother Daniel said, "He just dropped and that's all we know. We don't know." "There's nothing outstanding on the autopsy. But from what I understand he would have gotten a clean bill of health if he had a pulse," according to Daily Mail. 

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Who is Matt Pobereyko?

The Hammond, Indiana, native first played for Kentucky Wesleyan in college and during its final season, he went 9-2 with a 1.96 ERA in 12 games. Subsequently, he also overcame Tommy John surgery earlier in his career. Pobereyko pitched in Single-A Columbia in 2017 and in 2018, he worked out of the bullpen at Single-A St Lucie, Double-A Binghamton, and the Mets Triple-A team in Las Vegas.

Pobereyko also played in the Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations. At the time of his death, he was pitching in Mexico, and over the winter, he also played for Algodoneros de Guasave, leading the league with 73 strikeouts across just 70 1/3 innings, according to the source. 

'Rest in Peace, Matt!'

After Pobereyko's death, the independent league team and his fans were quick to share their condolences. "We mourn the loss of Matt Pobereyko,” the Sioux City Explorers, an independent league team, tweeted. “A great baseball player and an even better person. RIP Pobo."

Independent St Paul Saints also tweeted, “It is with a heavy heart that we learned of the passing of former Saints pitcher (’20) Matt Pobereyko. 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.”

A social media user wrote, "Rest in Peace, Matt." "Very Sad, As a 31 yr old athlete, this man was just starting Life then Robbed of Extra Bases. Very troubling & Very sad for his family. May God bring the family some comfort," added a fourth.

"I can hardly put my grief into words. What he meant to this fan base and community was special but what he meant to me was FAMILY!! I’m gonna miss the banter, phone calls, and overall conversations about my kids and the team. RIP POBO," tweeted a user. "To his Family, God has him in his Arms, Around him Now. A Great player and a Great Guy. God Bless Him," read another tweet. 

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