DOVYDAS NEVERAUSKAS
RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
  Born: January 14, 1993
Height: 6′ 3″
Weight: 175
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Signed: Int. FA, Pittsburgh Pirates, 2009
How Acquired: Int. FA
Country: Lithuania
Agent: N/A

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES
In their continuing quest to unearth baseball talent in the strangest of places, the Pirates signed the 16-year-old Neverauskas out of Lithuania.  The signing means that, in less than a year, they signed players from India, South Africa, Taiwan, Australia, the Netherlands and Lithuania, as well as a number of Latin American countries.  I can’t find out much about Neverauskas except that he played in the European Championship Series and was clocked at 88 mph, which is good velocity for a pitcher that young, in a tryout camp conducted in Europe by MLB.  He was expected to participate in fall instructionals and then report to minor league spring training.  The Pirates generally assigned their European and Australian signees to the academy operated by MLB in Australian, so that may or may not mean they think more highly of Neverauskas.

2010
R:  1-0-0, 5.40 ERA, 1.90 WHIP, 10 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 5.4 K/9

Pitched briefly in GCL at age 17 and held his own.  Considering his age and the fact that he had little experience outside Europe, it was an impressive showing.

2011
R:  3-1-0, 3.24 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 25 IP, 5.0 BB/9, 6.5 K/9 

In spring training, Neverauskas was sitting in the low 90s and reaching 93-94 with his fastball, and that’s despite being pretty thin at that stage.  He returned to the GCL, where he missed the early season with an injury but pitched regularly from mid-July on.  He managed a good ERA despite issuing 14 walks in 25 innings.  Opponents hit .237 against him, right-handed hitters just .215.

2012
R:  1-1-0, 4.08 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 35.1 IP, 4.6 BB/9, 7.4 K/9
A-:  0-0-0, 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 9.0 K/9

Neverauskas returned to the GCL again and didn’t pitch quite as well as in 2011, although his walk and K rates improved.  He’s filled out a little, but his fastball velocity was erratic, sometimes dropping to the upper 80s and other times reaching at least 95.  He got a late-season promotion to State College, which probably indicates the Pirates think he has some potential, and he pitched very well over four innings.

Neverauskas has ability but needs to improve his command and breaking stuff.  He’ll probably be in the New York-Penn League in 2013.  He’s still young and will spend the season at age 20.
STATS
Baseball Reference–Minors
Fangraphs
MiLB.com
CONTRACT INFORMATION
2013: Minor League Contract
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: $60,000
MiLB Debut: 2010
MLB Debut: N/A
MiLB FA Eligible: 2015
MLB FA Eligible: N/A
Rule 5 Eligible: 2013
Added to 40-Man: N/A
Options Remaining: 3 (USED: N/A)
MLB Service Time: 0.000
TRANSACTIONS
July 11, 2009: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent with a $60,000 bonus.