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Former Wood Duck Pedro Payano Makes MLB Debut for Rangers

Right-Hander Becomes Eighth Down East Alum to Make The Show
July 8, 2019

Kinston, N.C. - Former Wood Ducks pitcher Pedro Payano made his Major League debut for the Rangers, Saturday, tossing a scoreless sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins.

Kinston, N.C. - Former Wood Ducks pitcher Pedro Payano made his Major League debut for the Rangers, Saturday, tossing a scoreless sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins.

Payano entered in place of starter Jesse Chavez, and got Marwin Gonzalez to fly to center for the first out, before walking Jonathan Schoop to put a man on base. Payano bounced back to get a double-play ball off the bat of Jason Castro, facing the minimum, in one inning of work. He becomes the eighth Wood Duck alum to make his MLB debut, and the fifth to do so in 2019.
A native of New York, N.Y., Payano pitched for the Woodies in their inaugural 2017 campaign. In nine starts he posted a 2-3 record and a 4.26 ERA, while limiting opponents to a .199 batting average. Payano struck out 41, while walking just 22, in 50.2 innings, earning a promotion to Double-A Frisco, June 1.
This season Payano has split time between Frisco and Triple-A Nashville. He has combined to go 5-3, with a 3.91 ERA, in 15 appearances (14 starts). In fact, prior to his debut out of the bullpen for the Rangers, 121 of Payano's 138 appearances in his career have been starts. This season the righty has combined to strike out 81 in 69.0 innings, with opponents hitting just .202 against him. Payano was originally signed by the Rangers as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2012.