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Juan Yepez

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Juan Yepez
Yepez with the Palm Beach Cardinals in 2019
Washington Nationals – No. 18
Outfielder / First baseman
Born: (1998-02-19) February 19, 1998 (age 26)
Caracas, Venezuela
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 4, 2022, for the St. Louis Cardinals
MLB statistics
(through September 18, 2024)
Batting average.254
Home runs20
Runs batted in55
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.

Career

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Atlanta Braves

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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.

St. Louis Cardinals

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Yepez batting for the Cardinals in 2023

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]

Washington Nationals

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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]

References

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  1. ^ "Braves Sign Juan Yepez". July 2, 2014.
  2. ^ "Prospect Profile: Juan Yepez". September 18, 2015.
  3. ^ "Braves acquire 1B Adams from Cardinals". MLB.com.
  4. ^ "Saulsbery: Cardinals' elimination day has come and gone".
  5. ^ "2020 Minor League Season Canceled". mlbtraderumors.com. June 30, 2020.
  6. ^ "Here are the top St. Louis Cardinals prospects who will start the 2021 season in Springfield".
  7. ^ "Cardinals Juan Yepez still rolling in AFL". MLB.com.
  8. ^ "Cardinals name their 2021 Minor League Players, Pitcher of the Year". MLB.com.
  9. ^ "Cardinals announce 2021 Arizona Fall League selections". MLB.com.
  10. ^ "Arizona Fall League 2021 Fall Stars Game rosters". MLB.com.
  11. ^ "Arizona Fall League award winners 2021". MLB.com.
  12. ^ "Press release: Cardinals announce 2021 Wild Card Game roster". MLB.com.
  13. ^ "Pipeline isn't loaded, but several top-end prospects could help the Cardinals soon". April 3, 2022.
  14. ^ "Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Gets call to St. Louis". May 3, 2022.
  15. ^ "Cardinals notebook: Rookie Yepez sets team record with two doubles in his debut". May 4, 2022.
  16. ^ "Juan Yepez makes Cardinals history in MLB debut". May 4, 2022.
  17. ^ "Yepez pledges to hit 1st MLB homer for mom ... Then does it". MLB.com.
  18. ^ "How Yepez went from 'last shot' to 1st MLB multi-HR game". MLB.com.
  19. ^ Murphy, Alex (July 2, 2022). "St. Louis Cardinals hit four consecutive home runs". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  20. ^ "Cardinals' Juan Yepez: Optioned to Triple-A". cbssports.com. March 25, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  21. ^ "Juan Yepez: Becomes free agent". cbssports.com. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  22. ^ "Nationals' Juan Yepez: Gets minors deal from Nationals". cbssports.com. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  23. ^ "Nationals Select Juan Yepez". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
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