Yadier Álvarez Ventosa (born March 7, 1996) is a Cuban former

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Moder ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

Career

Álvarez defected from Cuba to pursue a career in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB). At the time, he had a fastball that touched 98

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. Scouts believed he had number two starter upside and one National League official said that he was the best 18-year-old pitcher he had ever seen. He received interest from numerous MLB teams including the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

and

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. The franchise was established ...

. Ranked as the second best prospect by mlb.com heading into the 2015 international signing period, Álvarez signed with the Dodgers on July 2, 2015, for a $16 million bonus. He made his professional baseball debut for the Dodgers Arizona rookie league affiliate on June 20, 2016, and struck out seven while only allowing one hit in innings pitched. In five starts for the team, he was 1–1 with a 1.80 ERA and 57 strikeouts. He was promoted to the Great Lakes Loons of the

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...

and struck out 10 in his debut for the Loons on July 21, 2016. He made nine starts for the Loons with a 2.97 ERA and 55 strikeouts in only innings. In 2017, he was promoted to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the

California League The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leagu ...

and chosen to represent the world team at the All-Star Futures Game. Álvarez began 2017 with the Quakes and was promoted to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers at mid-season. Between the two leagues he made 18 starts (and three relief appearances) and was 4–6 with a 4.68 ERA. He returned to Tulsa in 2018 and was selected to represent the Drillers at the mid-season

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

All-Star Game. In 17 games (eight starts), he went 1–2 with a 4.66 ERA. The Dodgers added Álvarez to their 40-man roster after the 2018 season, in order to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He returned to Tulsa to begin 2019, but he only appeared in two games, allowing six runs in innings. He spent the rest of the season on the minor league injured list before the Dodgers placed him on the restricted list for disciplinary reasons. Álvarez reported for spring training in 2020 with a chance to work his way back into the Dodgers plans but was scratched from his first spring appearance due to health issues and was designated for assignment the next day. He did not pitch again until late in the 2021 season, when he pitched innings over three games on a rehab assignment for the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Dodgers. Álvarez allowed three runs to score on three hits and a walk while striking out seven. In 2022, he played for the

Oklahoma City Dodgers The Oklahoma City Comets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and play their ho ...

in Triple-A, appearing in 23 games and allowing 17 earned runs in innings for a 6.20 ERA. He elected free agency following the season on November 10, 2022.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Álvarez, Yadier Living people 1996 births Defecting Cuban baseball players Baseball pitchers Arizona League Dodgers players Great Lakes Loons players Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players Tulsa Drillers players Arizona Complex League Dodgers players Oklahoma City Dodgers players