Mardie Cornejo

Mardie Cornejo was born in Wellington in 1951.  He was a right-handed pitcher who had a brilliant career at Tulsa University and was drafted by the Washington Senators in the third round of the 1970 major league draft.

Cornejo did not sign with the Senators and was drafted in 1971 by the Mets.  Again, he did not sign and was drafted by the Mets again in 1973 before finally signing a professional contract.

After five seasons in the Mets’ system, Cornejo made the major league team in 1978.  He pitched exclusively out of the bullpen, posing a 4-2 record with a 2.45 earned run average and three saves.  Despite those numbers, the Mets sent him to AAA Tidewater during the season.

Prior to the 1979 season, Cornejo was traded to Detroit.  He pitched one season in AAA Evansville, then retired from baseball.

Cornejo’s son Nate, a Wellington High School product, was a first round pick of Detroit in 1998 and pitched four seasons with the Tigers.