Yadier Alvarez

Yadier Alvarez

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 181 lb.

• Born March 7, 1996 in Matanzas, Matanzas Cuba

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Cuban-born pitcher Yadier Alvarez was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 2, 2015. He had defected from Cuba a couple of years earlier even before playing in the Serie Nacional, so he was more of an unknown quantity than most young Cuban players leaving the island. He pitched for two teams in his first season as a pro, 2016, the AZL Dodgers and the Great Lakes Loons, going 4-3, 2.12 in 14 games, all starts, and striking out 81 in 59 1/3 innings. That immediately placed him on the prospect radar, and in 2017 he was named to the World Team in the 2017 Futures Game. He spent that season with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in the California League and the Tulsa Drillers in the AA Texas League, going a combined 4-6, 4.68 in 21 games, He still struck out over a batter per inning - 97 in 92 1/3 innings - but he also walked 50 batters. His fastball was clocked at 100 mph that year.

Alvarez had a setback in 2018 as health issues limited him to 17 games, and just 8 starts, with Tulsa, in addition to a rehabilitation assignment back with the AZL Dodgers. He went 1-2, 4.66 with Tulsa, with 43 walks and 52 strikeouts in 48 1/3 innings. In spite of his struggles with control, he was named to the Texas League mid-season All-Star team. The Dodgers considered him enough of a prospect to add him to their 40-man roster after the season, and he attended his first spring training as a major leaguer in 2019.