Nelson Figueroa

Nelson Figueroa is a Major League Baseball player currently pitching for the New York Mets. After graduating from Abraham Lincoln High School Figueroa attended Brandeis University pitching for three years and receiving a bachelors degree in American Studies. In 1995, Figueroa was drafted by the New York Mets and during that season led the Appalachian League in shutouts. In 1996, Figueroa pitched in the South Atlantic League where he was named most valuable pitcher and a member of the leagues All-Star Team. When Figueroa made his Major League Baseball debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2000 he became the first graduate of Brandeis University to play Major League Baseball. In July 2000, Figueroa was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies where he played for the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Red Barons and made the International League All-Star Team. During the 2001 season, Figueroa pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies compiling a record of 4 wins and 5 losses with a 3.94 earned run average in 89 innings. Following the aftermath of 9/11/01, Figueroa designed t-shirts and helped raise money for the victims' families. After being released by the Philadelphia Phillies, Figueroa pitched the 2002 season for the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2003, he spent most of the season pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates AAA affiliate Nashville Sounds. That season Figueroa tied for third in the Pacific Coast League in wins and fifth in the league in strikeouts. Figueroa spent the 2005 season recovering from a torn rotator cuff. The 2006 season was spent in the minor leagues in the Washington Nationals organization. In 2007, Figueroa picthed in the Mexican League and late in that season went to Taiwan to pitch for the Uni President Lions of the Chinese Professional Baseball League helping the team with the Taiwan Series. In 2008, Figueroa was signed by the New York Mets and is pitching in the starting roation replacing injured pitcher Pedro Martinez.