Matt Pobereyko, a former Minor League Baseball pitcher who played for the Sioux City Explorers from 2019 to 2022, has died suddenly after experiencing a heart attack, according to his team. He was 31.
Hector Gomez, a former Major League Baseball insider, said Pobereyko had pitched in the Mexican League this offseason.
A number of teams have offered their condolences after learning about Pobereyko’s death, including the Explorers and St. Paul Saints.
“He truly loved being an Explorer and being a part of this community,” Montgomery added. “He was as fierce of a friend as he was as a competitor. We will miss him as a baseball player, but even more so as a friend.”
Pobereyko played with the Explorers for three seasons, appearing in a total of 74 games. He collected 38 saves and totaled 153 strikeouts to only 25 walks, according to the team. In 2019, Pobereyko was named a South Division American Association All-Star.
“It is with a heavy heart that we learned of the passing of former Saints pitcher ('20) Matt Pobereyko,” the Minnesota-based team said.
Born in Indiana on Dec. 24, 1991, Pobereyko attended Kentucky Wesleyan College before progressing to Minor League Baseball.
Prior to his contract with the Explorers, the right-handed pitcher played for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2016, as well as for the New York Mets organization as a free agent in 2017.