| Mike Yastrzemski | |
|---|---|
 Yastrzemski with theSan Francisco Giants in 2023 | |
| Free agent | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: (1990-08-23)August 23, 1990 (age 35) Andover, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 25, 2019, for the San Francisco Giants | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Batting average | .238 |
| Home runs | 123 |
| Runs batted in | 364 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Michael Andrew Yastrzemski (/jəˈstrɛmski/yə-STREM-skee; born August 23, 1990), nicknamed "Yaz", is an American professionalbaseballoutfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theSan Francisco Giants andKansas City Royals. Yastrzemski playedcollege baseball for theVanderbilt Commodores, and was selected by theBaltimore Orioles in the 14th round of the2013 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2019 with the Giants. He is the grandson of Baseball Hall of FamerCarl Yastrzemski.
Yastrzemski attendedSt. John's Preparatory School inDanvers, Massachusetts. He played for the school's baseball team, and was namedteam captain in his senior year. He committed to attendVanderbilt University, on acollege baseball scholarship.[1] Seen as a potential early-round selection in the2009 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft, Yastrzemski indicated that he would attend college unless chosen in the first round. TheBoston Red Sox selected him in the 36th round (1,098th overall),[2][3] and he did not sign with the team, instead enrolling at Vanderbilt to play for theVanderbilt Commodores baseball team.[4]
Yastrzemski became a starter for the Commodores in the middle of his freshman year.[5] In 2010 and 2011, he playedcollegiate summer baseball with theCotuit Kettleers of theCape Cod Baseball League.[6][7] After his junior year, theSeattle Mariners selected him in the 30th round (911th overall) of the2012 MLB draft. The Mariners offered Yastrzemski a $300,000signing bonus, well above the suggested bonus for a player chosen in that round. Yastrzemski chose not to sign, and returned to Vanderbilt for his senior year.[5][3] As a senior, Yastrzemski was named All-Southeastern Conference.[8][9]
TheBaltimore Orioles selected Yastrzemski in the 14th round (429th overall) of the2013 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed.[10][3] After signing, Yastrzemski began his professional career with theAberdeen IronBirds of theLow-ANew York–Penn League (NY-P), where he had a .273batting average, threehome runs, and 25runs batted in (RBI).[4] He was an NY-P mid-season All Star, and appeared in the NY-Pall-star game.[11][12]
Yastrzemski began the 2014 season with theDelmarva Shorebirds of theSingle-ASouth Atlantic League (SAL), where he led the league with 10 triples and batted .306/.365/.554 (5th in the league) with 10 home runs and 44 RBI.[13][8][14] He was an SAL mid-season All Star, and appeared in the SAL all-star game.[15] After the all-star game, Yastrzemski was promoted to theFrederick Keys of theHigh-ACarolina League, where he batted .312 in 93at-bats. He was then promoted again, to theBowie Baysox of theDouble-AEastern League.[8][16] Between Frederick and Bowie, Yastrzemski combined to bat .288 with 14 home runs, 18stolen bases in 24 attempts, and 18triples, which led all ofMinor League Baseball.[17] He was an MiLB Orioles organization All-Star.[15]
Yastrzemski spent the 2015 season with Bowie, where he batted .246 with six home runs and 59 RBI. He was a 2015 Eastern League All-Star.[15] Yastrzemski spent 2016 with both Bowie and theNorfolk Tides of theTriple-AInternational League,[18] where he posted combined statistics of a .234 batting average, with 13 home runs, and 59 RBI.[19]
Yastrzemski underwent surgery after the 2016 season and was not healthy for the beginning of the 2017 season.[20] During the 2017 season, he was with the Tides for 81 games between May and September, except for several weeks in June and July when he played 20 games with the Baysox.[21] He returned to Norfolk in 2018.[22] He was an MiLB Orioles organization All-Star.[15]
The Orioles invited Yastrzemski tospring training as a non-roster player in 2019.[23]
On March 22, 2019, the Orioles traded Yastrzemski to theSan Francisco Giants in exchange for minor league pitcher Tyler Herb.[24] He was assigned to theSacramento River Cats of the Triple-APacific Coast League to start the 2019 season, for whom he batted .316/.414/.676 with 38 runs, 12 home runs and 25 RBI in 136 at-bats.[25][26]
The Giants promoted Yastrzemski to the Major Leagues on May 25, 2019, and he made his debut the same day, going 0-for-3 with a run scored in a 10–4 loss to theArizona Diamondbacks.[27] He collected his first career hit, a single, the following day but was thrown out returning to first base and went 3-for-4 with a run scored in the Giants' 6–2 loss.[28] Yastrzemski hit his first career home run against his former organization, the Baltimore Orioles, offAndrew Cashner on May 31.[29] On August 16, he hit three home runs against the Arizona Diamondbacks atChase Field, including the game-winning home run in the top of the 11th inning.[30] On September 17, he hit his 20th home run, a solo shot to the center field bleachers, in his first game atFenway Park, where his grandfather played his entire 23-year MLB career. The Giants won 7–6 in 15 innings.[31] The next game, in front of a Boston Red Sox crowd, Yastrzemski caught the ceremonial first pitch from his grandfather.[32]
For the 2019 season, Yastrzemski played in 107 games while batting .272/.334/.518 with 21 home runs, 55 RBIs, and 64 runs scored in 371 at bats. His 21 home runs tiedKevin Pillar for the most on the team.[33] He was the first rookie sinceDave Kingman in 1972 to hit more than 20 home runs for the Giants.[34]
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On September 9, 2020, he hit his 30th home run in his 151st game. Yastrzemski joinedBobby Thomson and Dave Kingman as the only other Giants to hit 30 home runs so quickly in their careers.[35] Yastrzemski finished the pandemic-shortened 2020 season batting .297/.400/.568 with 10 home runs and leading the team in RBIs with 35. He led the NL in triples (4) and range factor/9 IP as a right fielder (2.38), and was 8th in OPS (.968), 9th in doubles (14), and 10th in OBP (.400).[33]
Yastrzemski received All-MLB second team honors for his performance during the season. He was 8th in voting for NL MVP and won theWillie Mac Award for being the Giants' most inspirational player.[33][36]
On June 15, 2021, atOracle Park, in a 9–8 win over theArizona Diamondbacks, with the Giants trailing 8–5 in the eighth inning with two outs and having earlier trailed 7–0, Yastrzemski hit his first careergrand slam, a go-ahead home run off ofHumberto Castellanos intoMcCovey Cove for a "Splash Hit".[37]
In the 2021 regular season, Yastrzemski batted .224/.311/.457 with 28 doubles, 25 home runs, and 71 RBIs in 468 at bats.[38] He had a 2.26 range factor per 9 innings as a right fielder, leading the National League for the second season in a row.[33] He was one of three nominees for a National LeagueGold Glove Award in right field,[39] losing toAdam Duvall.[40]
Eligible forsalary arbitration for the first time, Yastrzemski and the Giants agreed to a $3.7 million salary for the 2022 season.[41] In 2022, Yastrzemski batted .214/.305/.392 in 485 at bats, with 73 runs, 31 doubles (a career high), 17 home runs, and 57 RBIs, stealing five bases in six attempts.[42] He played 104 games in right field, 93 games in center field, and one game at DH.[43] In November, Yastrzemski and the Giants agreed on a one-year, $6.1 million contract for the 2023 season.[44]
Yastrzemski and the Giants agreed to a $7.9 million salary for the 2024 season.[45]
On September 1, 2024, atOracle Park, against theMiami Marlins, Yastrzemski hit his 100th career home run, making his grandfather and himself the fourth grandfather-grandson duo in Major League history to each hit at least 100 career home runs.[46] He made 140 appearances for San Francisco during the regular season, slashing .231/.302/.437 with 18 home runs and 57 RBI.[47]
Yastrzemski signed a contract with the Giants for 2025 valued at $9.25 million, avoiding salary arbitration.[48] In 96 games for the Giants, he batted .231/.330/.355 with eight home runs, 28 RBI, and six stolen bases.[49]
On July 31, 2025, the Giants traded Yastrzemski to theKansas City Royals in exchange for Yunior Marte.[50]
Yastrzemski grew up inAndover, Massachusetts.[1] His father, Carl Jr. (who went by Mike),[5] played college baseball for theFlorida State Seminoles baseball team and played professionally in the minor leagues from 1984 to 1988.[8] His father and mother, Anne-Marie, divorced when he was six years old.[5] Carl Jr. died in 2004 at the age of 43 from ablood clot after having hip surgery.[51][52] Mike's grandfather,Carl Yastrzemski, is a member of theNational Baseball Hall of Fame and began teaching Mike hitting during his grandson's freshman year in high school.[1][2][4]
Yastrzemski met Paige (née Cahill) at Vanderbilt. They married in November 2018[53] and have two children, a daughter and a son.[54]
