Rett Varner

Joseph Rett Varner

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 210 lb.
• School University of Texas-Arlington, Brigham Young University
• High School Northwest High School
• Born February 3, 1988 in Bedford, TX USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Rett Varner began his professional career in 2010 and played until 2015. He reached Triple-A for the first time in 2012.

Varner was 6-3 with a 1.87 ERA and 106 K to 18 BB in 75 IP as a high school senior, setting a school strikeout record. He was redshirted as a freshman at BYU then was 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA at Texas-Arlington in 2008. He improved to 2-3, 3.95 in 2009 and was 9th in the Southland Conference in ERA. He was originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 34th round of the 2009 amateur draft - a few slots after A.J. Griffin - but he did not sign. He was named the Texas Collegiate League Pitcher of the Year after posting a 4-2, 1.17 record with a .159 opponent average and 57 K to 7 BB in 46 IP. He was 8-5 with a 3.56 ERA in 2010, finishing among the Southland Conference leaders in ERA (4th), wins (tied for 3rd) and strikeouts (95, 5th). He was then taken by the Florida Marlins in the sixth round of the 2010 amateur draft (right before Mike Kickham) and he did sign. The scout was Steve Taylor.

In his first professional season, 2010, he was 4-1 with a 1.97 ERA in 12 games (10 starts) split between the GCL Marlins (4-1, 2.14) and Jamestown Jammers (0 R in 4 IP). In 2011, he was 8-8 with a 5.29 ERA for the Greensboro Grasshoppers. He split 2012 between the Jupiter Hammerheads (4-6, 3.87) and the Jacksonville Suns (3 R in 10 1/3 IP). He was a reliever for most of 2013 and posted a 3.21 ERA in 40 appearances (seven starts) for the Suns (1-1, 5.25 in 10 G) and Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs (3-4, Sv, 2.80 in 30 G). He pitched for the GCL Marlins and Zephyrs in 2014, going 6-3 with a 7.61 ERA in 36 2/3 innings. Joining the independent ranks for 2015, he went 2-0 with a 3.43 ERA in 43 appearances between the Laredo Lemurs and Winnipeg Goldeyes, averaging more than a strikeout per inning.

At all levels, he went 29-24 with a 4.19 ERA in 187 games (53 starts).

Sources

• 2013 Marlins Media Guide
• UTA bio
• BYU bio