Texas Rangers Acquire Pitcher Dustin Nippert

03/29/2008, Oklahoma City, Okla. -- The Texas Rangers announced this afternoon that the club has acquired right-handed pitcher Dustin Nippert from Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Minor League right-handed pitcher Jose Marte.

Dustin Nippert, 26, has spent time in the Major Leagues in each of the last 3 seasons. The 6-foot-7, 200-pound Nippert was competing for a spot in the Arizona bullpen this spring. He made his Major League debut in 2005, when he was the Diamondbacks' Minor League Pitcher of the Year after going 8-3 with a 2.36 ERA in 18 games/starts for Double-A Tennessee.

Primarily a starter throughout his career, he made 36 relief appearances for Arizona in 2007, going 1-1 with a 5.56 ERA (28 ER/45.1 IP). He made the D-Backs' Opening Day roster for the first time in his career last year, and went 1-0 with a 2.87 ERA (5 ER/15.2 IP) over his first 12 outings. He also had a 3.68 ERA in his final 9 games last season. For the year, Nippert held left-handed batters to a .238 (19-80) average.

Originally selected by the Diamondbacks in the 15th round of the 2002 June draft out of the University of West Virginia, Nippert has spent his entire career in the Arizona organization. He has gone 2-3, 6.43 (50 ER/70.0 IP) in 41 games/5 starts in the Majors and 33-25, 3.40 in 101 games/92 starts in the Minors. In his big league career, lefties have hit .248 (32-129) with right-handers at .277 (41-148).

Marte, 24, split last season between Bakersfield and Clinton, combining to go 4-4 with a 5.43 ERA (32 ER/53.0 IP) in 45 relief appearances. He led the Bakersfield club with 11 saves in 2007. A converted outfielder, Marte hit .211 over 3 seasons in the Cubs organization before being signed by Texas as a pitcher.

Source: MLB

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