Juan Yepez | |
---|---|
Washington Nationals – No. 18 | |
Outfielder / First baseman | |
Born: Caracas, Venezuela | February 19, 1998|
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
MLB debut | |
May 4, 2022, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
MLB statistics (through September 18,2024) | |
Batting average | .254 |
Home runs | 20 |
Runs batted in | 55 |
Teams | |
|
Juan David Yepez (born February 19,1998) is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder and first baseman for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Yepez signed with the Atlanta Braves as an international free agent in July 2014. [1] The next year,he made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Braves before being promoted to the Danville Braves of the Rookie-level Appalachian League in August. Over 59 games between both clubs,he batted .299 with four home runs and 31 RBIs. [2] In 2016,he was assigned to the Rome Braves of the Single–A South Atlantic League,but played in only 23 games due to injury. He returned to Rome to begin the 2017 season.
On May 20,2017,Yepez was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Matt Adams. [3] He was assigned to the Peoria Chiefs of the Single–A Midwest League,with whom he finished the year. Over 116 games between the two clubs,he slashed .265/.308/.388 with eight home runs and 62 RBIs. [4] To begin the 2018 season,he was assigned to Peoria,and was promoted to the Palm Beach Cardinals of the High–A Florida State League in early May. Over 92 games,he hit .269 with three home runs and 42 RBIs. Yepez spent the 2019 season with Peoria,Palm Beach,and the Springfield Cardinals of the Double–A Texas League,batting .269 with ten home runs and 43 RBIs. Yepez did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [5] He was assigned to Springfield to begin the 2021 season and was promoted to the Memphis Redbirds of the Triple-A East after 19 games. [6] Over 111 games between the two teams,Yepez slashed .286/.383/.586 with 27 home runs,77 RBIs,and 29 doubles. [7] The Cardinals named him their Minor League Co-Player of the Year alongside Jordan Walker. [8] He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) for the Glendale Desert Dogs after the season where he was named to the Fall Stars Game. [9] [10] He ended the AFL with a .302/.388/.640 slash line with 15 extra-base hits and was named the league's Hitter of the Year alongside J. J. Bleday. [11]
On October 6,2021,the Cardinals selected Yepez's contract and added him to the 26-man roster for the 2021 National League Wild Card Game,but he did not make an appearance. [12] He returned to Memphis to begin the 2022 season. [13]
The Cardinals recalled Yepez to the major league roster on May 3,2022. [14] Yepez made his major league debut the next day against the Kansas City Royals as the starting right fielder,and hit a double off Kris Bubic in his first at-bat. [15] He recorded another double in his second at-bat,becoming the first player in Cardinals history to hit two doubles in their first game. [16] He hit his first career home run off Jakob Junis against the San Francisco Giants on May 8,2022. [17] On June 27,he had his first career multi-home run night,hitting two two-run home runs versus the Miami Marlins. [18]
Yepez hit the third of a record-tying four consecutive home runs between teammates on July 2,2022,the 11th such occurrence in major league history. At Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia,Nolan Arenado,Nolan Gorman,Yepez and Dylan Carlson all homered off Phillies starter Kyle Gibson with two outs in the first inning. It was the first time that the Cardinals had accomplished the feat,and the first time that it occurred in the first inning. [19] In 76 games during his rookie campaign,Yepez hit .253/.296/.447 with 12 home runs and 30 RBI.
Yepez was optioned to Triple-A Memphis to begin the 2023 season. [20] In 28 games,he batted .183/.246/.300 with two home runs and two RBI. On November 17,2023,Yepez was non-tendered by the Cardinals and became a free agent. [21]
On December 6,2023,Yepez signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals. [22] In 74 games for the Triple–A Rochester Red Wings,he batted .263/.357/.438 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI. On July 5,2024,the Nationals selected Yepez's contract,adding him to the major league roster. [23]
Matthew James Adams is an American former professional baseball first baseman. Nicknamed "Big City" for his imposing size and ability to regularly hit long home runs,the St. Louis Cardinals selected Adams in the 23rd round of the 2009 MLB draft from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cardinals,Atlanta Braves,Washington Nationals,and Colorado Rockies.
Nicholas Raymond Plummer is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets.
Luken Grosvenor Baker is an American professional baseball first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Patrick Ian-Cashel Wisdom is an American professional baseball third baseman and first baseman who is a free agent. He played college baseball for the Saint Mary's Gaels. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft and he made his MLB debut in 2018. He has previously played in MLB for the Cardinals,Texas Rangers,and Chicago Cubs.
Paul Sterling DeJong is an American professional baseball shortstop and third baseman who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals,Toronto Blue Jays,San Francisco Giants,Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals.
Dylan James Carlson is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays. Selected by the Cardinals in the first round of the 2016 MLB draft,Carlson became one of the top prospects in baseball before making his MLB debut in 2020. He became the team's starting right fielder in 2021 and was a finalist for National League Rookie of the Year. The Cardinals traded him to the Rays in 2024.
Óscar Mauricio Mercado is a Colombian-American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians / Guardians,Philadelphia Phillies,and St. Louis Cardinals. He represented the Colombian national baseball team at the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Kramer Reid Robertson is an American professional baseball infielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022. Before his professional career,Robertson attended Louisiana State University (LSU) and played college baseball for the LSU Tigers.
Andrew Robert Knizner is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers.
Michael Conner Capel is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Atlanta Braves organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals,Oakland Athletics,and Cincinnati Reds.
Nolan Brian Gorman is an American professional baseball second baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Jonathan Rayshad Davis is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays,New York Yankees,Milwaukee Brewers,and Miami Marlins.
Elehuris Montero is a Dominican professional baseball first baseman for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies.
Iván Aaron Herrera is a Panamanian professional baseball catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022.
Jordan Alexander Walker is an American professional baseball right fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Cardinals selected him in the first round of the 2020 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Brian James O'Keefe is an American professional baseball catcher in the Kansas City Royals organization. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 7th round of the 2014 MLB draft. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners.
Masyn Blaze Winn is an American professional baseball shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Alec Michael Burleson is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Jesús Alejo López is a Mexican professional baseball infielder in the Athletics organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds.
Brendan Michael Donovan is an American professional baseball utility player for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB).