Neverauskas makes history as MLB’s first-ever Lithuanian-born player

25/04/2017

PITTSBURGH — Baseball’s global reach was on display again on Monday, 24 April, as 24-year-old Dovydas Neverauskas became the first Lithuanian-born and trained player to ascend into Major League Baseball.

PITTSBURGH — Baseball’s global reach was on display again on Monday, 24 April, as 24-year-old Dovydas Neverauskas became the first Lithuanian-born and trained player to ascend into Major League Baseball.

In his debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, Neverauskas tossed 2.0 innings against the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs and allowed one run on two hits, while recording his first big league strikeout.

“Baseball can be played in Lithuania and [others] can follow in my footsteps,” Neverauskas told reporters.

Neverauskas gravitated toward baseball thanks in large part to his father, Virmidas, who has managed the Lithuanian National Baseball Team and has dedicated years spreading the game in the Baltic country as a coach and executive board member of the Lithuanian Baseball Federation.

In 2008, the young Neverauskas was playing catcher at the MLB European Academy in Torino, Italy, where he caught the eyes of Pirate scouts who ended up signing the then 17 year-old in July 2009. The historic signing saw Neverauskas become the first Lithuanian to ever sign a professional baseball contract.

Neverauskas is the third European-born player to play in the major league in 2017 joining Didi Gregorius (Netherlands) and Max Kepler (Germany).

Lithuania is currently ranked 38th in the WBSC Baseball World Rankings.