Yosver Zulueta

Yosver Jose Zulueta

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 190 lb.

• Debut June 25, 2024

• Born January 23, 1998 in Remedios, Villa Clara Cuba

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Biographical Information

Pitcher Yosver Zulueta played in his native Cuba from 2016 to 2019, including three seasons in the Serie Nacional with Villa Clara (one of them was split with Granma. He went 6-5, 3.72 in 2017-2018 and 4-4, 1.96 in 2018-2019. In addition he was part of the Cuban national team that played a series of games in the Can-Am Association in 2017.

He signed as a free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays on June 11, 2019, after defecting to Haiti. However, because he underwent Tommy John surgery and then was kept from playing in the minors because the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he couldn't begin his professional career until 2021, when he was assigned to the Dunedin Blue Jays. He faced only one batter - and then tore his ACL while moving over to cover first base, wiping out the remainder of his season. The Blue Jays were beginning to wonder whether he would ever be available to pitch when he finally got going in 2022. He made three stops in quick order, first 3 games with Dunedin, then another 6 with the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League before reaching AA with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on June 30th. That quick rise was impressive enough to earn him a spot on the American League squad for the 2022 Futures Game, and he was actually credited with the 6-4 win over the National League at Dodger Stadium. He came in in relief of Hunter Brown with two outs in the bottom of the 2nd after the NL had taken a 3-1 lead, and he got Francisco Alvarez to ground out. His teammates then scored 4 runs in the top of the 3rd and never relinquished the lead after that. He kept being promoted after that, ending his season with 3 games for the Buffalo Bisons of the AAA International League. His combined record between the four stops was 2-5, 3.72 in 21 games including 12 starts, with 84 strikeouts in 55 2/3 innings.

He returned to Buffalo to start the 2023 season and was once again named to play in the Futures Game. He went 4-4, 4.08 in 45 games including 7 starts, with 73 strikeouts but also 45 walks in 64 innings. He went to spring training with the Blue Jays in 2024, but was designated for assignment on March 28th, the day before the season was to begin, and immediately claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds. He began the season in AAA with the Louisville Bats and was 2-0, 2.93 with 1 save after 23 games when he was called up to Cincinnati. He made his debut on June 25th pitching in relief against the Pittsburgh Pirates; in three innings of work, he allowed one run on one hit and two walks and also struck out four batters in a 9-5 loss.

Related Sites

• Yosver Zulueta on mlb.com
• BR Register page