Yadier Álvarez Explained

Yadier Álvarez
Team:Free agent
Position:Pitcher
Birth Date:March 7, 1996
Birth Place:Matanzas, Cuba
Bats:Right
Throws:Right
Debutleague:MLB

Yadier Álvarez Ventosa (born March 7, 1996) is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.

Career

Álvarez defected from Cuba to pursue a career in Major League Baseball (MLB).[1] [2] At the time, he had a fastball that touched 98 miles per hour. 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.[3] He received interest from numerous MLB teams including the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks.[4] [5]

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.[6] [7] 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.[8] In five starts for the team, he was 1–1 with a 1.80 ERA and 57 strikeouts.[9] He was promoted to the Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League and struck out 10 in his debut for the Loons on July 21, 2016.[10] He made nine starts for the Loons with a 2.97 ERA and 55 strikeouts in only innings.[11] In 2017, he was promoted to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League and chosen to represent the world team at the All-Star Futures Game.[12]

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.[13] He returned to Tulsa in 2018 and was selected to represent the Drillers at the mid-season Texas League All-Star Game.[14] In 17 games (eight starts), he went 1–2 with a 4.66 ERA.[15]

The Dodgers added Álvarez to their 40-man roster after the 2018 season.[16] He returned to Tulsa to begin 2019, but he only appeared in two games, allowing six runs in innings.[13] 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.[17] 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.[18] He did not pitch again until late in the 2021 season, when he pitched innings over three games on a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League. He allowed three runs to score on three hits and a walk while striking out seven.[13] In 2022, he played for the Oklahoma City Dodgers in AAA, appearing in 23 games and allowing 17 earned runs in innings for a 6.20 ERA.[13] He elected free agency on November 10, 2022.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Yadier Alvarez Emerges While Other Cubans Move Closer to Deals. Kiley. McDaniel. Fangraphs. February 13, 2015. July 2, 2015.
  2. Web site: Meet Yadier Alvarez, baseball's next coveted Cuban prospect. Yahoo Sports. Mark. Townsend. February 15, 2015. July 2, 2015.
  3. Web site: Acclaimed Cuban free agents highly sought-after. mlb.com. Jesse. Sanchez. February 17, 2015. July 2, 2015.
  4. Web site: New rumor has Phils interested in Cuban pitching phenom. Paula. Wolf. Lancaster Online. February 13, 2015. July 2, 2015.
  5. Web site: Phillies Interested in Cuban Pitcher Yadier Alvarez. Mike. Gill. 97.3 ESPN South Jersey. February 13, 2015. July 2, 2015.
  6. Web site: Dodgers open int'l signing period with a flurry. mlb.com. Jesse. Sanchez. July 2, 2015. July 2, 2015.
  7. Web site: Starling Heredia, Yadier Alvarez, Ronny Brito highlight Day 1 of Dodgers international signing period. SB Nation. Eric. Stephen. July 2, 2015. July 2, 2015.
  8. Web site: Yadier Alvarez strikes out 7 in debut, Arizona Dodgers take opener 8-7. Craig. Minami. SB Nation. June 21, 2016. July 3, 2016.
  9. Web site: 2016 AZL Dodgers Statistics. Baseball Reference. August 7, 2016.
  10. Web site: Dodgers' prize prospect Yadier Alvarez dominates in Loons' debut. Mlive.com. Hugh. Bernreuter. July 21, 2016. August 7, 2016.
  11. Web site: 2016 Great Lakes Loons Statistics. Baseball Reference.
  12. Web site: 2017 World Futures Game Rosters And Scouting Reports. Baseball America. BA Staff. June 29, 2017. June 29, 2017.
  13. Web site: Yadier Alvarez Minor League Statistics & History. Baseball Reference.
  14. Web site: Five Drillers selected for Texas League All-Star Game. Tulsa World. Barry. Lewis. June 13, 2018. June 17, 2018.
  15. Web site: Yadier Alvarez Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball. MiLB.com. January 1, 2019.
  16. Web site: Prospect Ruiz among 5 added to 40-man roster. Ken. Gurnick. mlb.com. November 20, 2018. November 20, 2018.
  17. Web site: Dodgers: Yadier Alvarez has to be out of chances with LA. Dodgersway.com. Jack. Trent Dorfman. September 4, 2019. September 6, 2019.
  18. Web site: Dodgers Designate Yadier Alvarez For Assignment. George. Miller. MLB Trade Rumors. February 29, 2020. February 29, 2020.