Brandeis Magazine

Pitcher Nelson Figueroa ’98 helped lead Puerto Rico to a runner-up finish in the World Baseball Classic, earning a victory over the United States to send his team into the championship round.

A Brooklyn native of Puerto Rican descent, Figueroa started two games in the 16-team tournament, finishing with a 2-0 record and a 1.80 earned run average. He shut out the Americans for six innings of a 4-3 win on March 16 that advanced Puerto Rico to the tourney semifinals.

Figueroa, the only Brandeis baseball player to reach the major leagues, has pitched for the Diamondbacks, the Phillies, the Brewers, 
the Pirates and the Mets. His career record is 20-35 with a 4.55 ERA.