Yesid Salazar

From BR Bullpen

Yesid Antonio Salazar Garcia

  • Bats Right, Throws Right
  • Height 6' 1", Weight 175 lb.

BR Minors page

Biographical Information[edit]

Yesid Salazar pitched in the minor leagues.

For the 2005 VSL Red Sox/Padres, Salazar was 2-6 with two saves and a 4.66 ERA. He tied for third in the Venezuelan Summer League in losses. He went 4-3 with a 4.25 ERA and .316 opponent average for the 2006 AZL Padres but walked only 9 and gave up a single homer in 55 innings. In 2007, his last season in Organized Baseball, the 20-year-old was with the AZL Padres (1-0, 1.17), Eugene Emeralds (4.50) and Fort Wayne Wizards (2-0, 2.38).

Salazar was on the Colombian-laden 2009 Yuma Scorpions, going 6-5 with a 6.11 ERA. Javier Ortiz was their lone pitcher with more wins. Yesid helped Colombia win Silver at the 2010 South American Games, beating Argentina. He remained with the Colombian squad for the 2010 Pan American Games Qualifying Tournament, in which he beat Aruba but gave up 12 hits and 7 earned runs in 6 1/3 IP. He allowed 12 hits, 6 of them doubles and one of them a triple.

In the 2013 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, he tied Ronald Ramirez for the Colombian lead with two games pitched. He worked a scoreless frame in their opening win over Nicaragua then allowed 2 runs in 3 1/3 IP in a 9-7 loss to Panama. In that game, manager Eduardo Perez was ejected after Salazar threw a brushback pitch following a Ruben Rivera homer, but Salazar was not ejected. He helped Colombia win the 2015 South American Championship, their first South American Championship title. Yesid led Colombia with four appearances on the hill in the 2015 Pan American Games; he had a 7.88 ERA in 8 innings.

He was far better his next time out with Colombia, in the 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers. He relieved Horacio Acosta in the opener, a 9-2 win over defending 2013 WBC team Spain. Coming in for the bottom of the 9th, he retired Lesther Galván, Rolando Meriño and Gabe Suarez to wrap up the win. In the finale against host Panama, he relieved Nabil Crismatt in the 4th with one out, a 1-0 deficit and men on the corners. He came up big, retiring Isaias Velasquez and Anthony Amaya to escape the jam. In the 5th, he went 1-2-3, retiring Jorge Bishop, Edmundo Sosa and Luis Castillo in order. Greg Nappo relieved in the 6th and Colombia rallied for a 2-1 win for a spot in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, their first World Baseball Classic; Salazar had retired all eight batters he had faced in the qualifier. Only William Cuevas worked more innings for Colombia without allowing a run in the qualifier.

Salazar played for Colombia when they won a Bronze in the 2016 South American Championship but struggled in his lone appearance, walking seven and allowing one hit and three runs in 2 2/3 IP before Juan Corpas took over in a loss to Brazil. Despite his limited workload, he tied Bogdan Leyton for second in the tournament in walks, behind Luis Rico.

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