Bonanza product has first-class goal in mind

Unheralded coming out of Bonanza High School and a 50th-round draft pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2004, pitcher Kyler Newby faced long odds of reaching the major leagues.

Promoted to Triple A this season for the first time in his seven-year career, the Las Vegas native has yet to pitch in the majors.

But the 26-year-old Newby -- the fifth starter for Reno (16-11), which lost 5-3 to the 51s (13-15) on Thursday at Cashman Field -- did catch a brief glimpse of the big leagues when Arizona called him up for one day in May 2009.

The 6-foot-4-inch, 225-pound right-hander was playing for Double-A Mobile, Ala., and riding a bus to Jackson, Miss., when he was instructed to join the Diamondbacks in Florida and be ready to pitch against the Marlins.

"I was on a first-class flight there, and I'm eating steak on the plane like, 'This is awesome,' " Newby said. "I get there, I don't get in the game, and they say, 'OK, we're going to send you back.' So I take coach on the way back the next day. One day first class, the next day coach."

Still, Newby relished the experience of putting on a major league uniform and being in the Arizona bullpen.

"I was on TV, and my family got to see me. It was pretty neat," he said. "I didn't get to pitch, but I got to experience being activated on the 25-man roster. It was such an honor to be able to achieve that and put that jersey on."

A self-described "thrower" at Bonanza, Newby wasn't recruited by any colleges, so he followed a teammate to Mesa (Ariz.) Community College.

After his sophomore year, he opted to turn pro over playing at UNLV and has been grinding it out in the minor leagues since. He toiled for four years in Class A and parts of three seasons in Double A before earning a promotion to Triple A on April 15.

"It's been a roller-coaster ride. You're constantly up, down, up, down," he said. "I was a 50th-round draft pick, so you don't get the respect other guys get as first- or second-rounders. I had to play well enough to keep my job, and, to get promoted, I had to pitch real well. I've always been a person to prove people wrong."

Newby, who will make his fifth start for Reno today at Salt Lake, is 19-11 with a 3.20 ERA in his career, striking out 399 and walking 133 in 338 innings.

A reliever for most of his career, the control pitcher has struggled as a starter for the Aces, going 0-1 with a 7.63 ERA. He has allowed 13 runs on 20 hits in 15 1/3 innings, with 16 strikeouts and 12 walks.

"I've been walking way too many guys, which is uncharacteristic of me," he said. "Half of it's the mental process of being here playing with these guys who have been around forever. But I've got to believe I belong here and pitch confident enough that I belong here."

Reno manager Brett Butler applauded Newby's determination.

"His stuff isn't flashy. His stuff isn't dominating. But the bottom line is he continues to be successful," Butler said. "As long as he's doing that, we'll keep throwing him out there."

Back home in May for the first time since his senior year at Bonanza in 2003, Newby -- who didn't face the 51s -- enjoyed some home-cooked meals this week at his parents' house.

But before he can eat steak again on a first-class trip to the majors, he needs to succeed this season in Triple A.

"This is an exciting but kind of scary year because I don't have a job yet for next year," Newby said. "I'm pitching now to try to earn a job for next year."

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.