:Nate Cornejo

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Nate Cornejo

|image=

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1979|9|24}}

|birth_place=Wellington, Kansas, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=August 8

|debutyear=2001

|debutteam=Detroit Tigers

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=May 2

|finalyear=2004

|finalteam=Detroit Tigers

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=12–29

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=5.41

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=103

|teams=

Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|2001}}–{{mlby|2004}})

}}

Nathan John Cornejo (born September 24, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2001 to 2004 for the Detroit Tigers.

Early life

Cornejo was born in Wellington, Kansas.{{cite web|title=Nate Cornejo Stats|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cornena01.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports-Reference.com|access-date=March 31, 2017}} His father, Mardie Cornejo, appeared in 25 games in 1978 as a reliever for the New York Mets.{{cite web|title=Mardi Cornejo Stats|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cornema01.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports-Reference.com|access-date=March 31, 2017}} The younger Cornejo attended Wellington High School.

Playing career

Nate Cornejo was drafted in the first round of the 1998 MLB draft by the Detroit Tigers. He was the 34th player selected in the draft.{{cite web|title=Nate Cornejo|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=cornena01|work=Nate Cornejo Stats|publisher=Baseball Almanac|access-date=April 23, 2011}} Following the draft, he made his professional debut as a member of the Gulf Coast League Tigers. Cornejo recorded a 1–0 record in 5 appearances, posting a 1.26 earned run average over 14.1 innings.{{cite web|title=Nate Cornejo Minor Leagues Statistics and History|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=cornej001nat|website=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports-Reference.com|access-date=March 31, 2017}}

For the 1999 season, Cornejo was promoted to the Single–A West Michigan Whitecaps of the Midwest League. He made 28 starts, posting a 9–11 record and a 3.71 ERA. In 174.2 innings, Cornejo struck out 125 batters and walked 67.

Cornejo split the 2000 season between the Single–A Lakeland Tigers of the Florida State League and the Double–A Jacksonville Suns of the Southern League. In 12 starts for Lakeland, he compiled a 5–5 record and a 3.04 ERA, with 60 strikeouts and 31 walks over 77 innings. Cornejo started 16 games for Jacksonville, posting a 5–7 record and an earned run average of 4.61. In 91.2 innings for Jacksonville, he recorded 60 strikeouts and 43 walks.

He was selected to play in the 2001 All-Star Futures Game. In a preview of that game, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer compared him to future All-Star Matt Clement.{{cite news |title=Futures Game: U.S. roster |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Futures-Game-U-S-roster-1059192.php |access-date=November 3, 2020 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |date=July 7, 2001}}

In 2002, Baseball America listed Cornejo as one of the top 100 prospects in baseball.{{cite web|title=All-Time Top 100 Prospects |url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2007/26983.html|publisher=Baseball America|access-date=April 23, 2011}}

In his lone full season with Detroit in 2003, Cornejo finished the season with a 6–17 record. He had the lowest strikeout rate of any starting pitcher in over 20 years, striking out just 46 batters in 194.2 innings.

Cornejo played for the Detroit Tigers until {{mlby|2004}} and was released to free agency in 2005. He was signed by the Chicago White Sox to a minor league contract in April 2006. Cornejo pitched four games in the minors before officially retiring on July 2, 2006.