Yainer Díaz
{{Short description|Dominican baseball player (born 1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Yainer Díaz
|image = File:Yainer Diaz Catching.jpg
|caption = Díaz with the Houston Astros in 2023
|team = Houston Astros
|number = 21
|position = Catcher
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|9|21}}
|birth_place = Azua, Dominican Republic
|bats = Right
|throws = Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = September 2
|debutyear = 2022
|debutteam = Houston Astros
|statleague = MLB
|statyear = April 21, 2025
|stat1label = Batting average
|stat1value = .282
|stat2label = Home runs
|stat2value = 40
|stat3label = Runs batted in
|stat3value = 152
|teams =
- Houston Astros ({{mlby|2022}}–present)
}}
Yainer Radhames Díaz (born September 21, 1998) is a Dominican professional baseball catcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB).
From Azua, Dominican Republic, Díaz signed with the Cleveland Indians as an international free agent in 2016. In 2021, he was traded to the Astros, with whom he made his MLB debut in 2022.
Professional career
=Cleveland Indians=
Díaz signed with the Cleveland Indians as an international free agent on December 7, 2016.{{Cite web |last=Noga |first=Joe |date=April 2, 2020 |title=No. 30 Yainer Diaz, C: Cleveland Indians top prospects right now |url=https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2020/04/no-30-yainer-diaz-c-cleveland-indians-top-prospects-right-now.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119055117/https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2020/04/no-30-yainer-diaz-c-cleveland-indians-top-prospects-right-now.html |archive-date=November 19, 2021 |access-date=December 9, 2021 |publisher=cleveland.com}} He made his professional debut in 2017, playing in 42 games for the Dominican Summer League Indians and slashing .294/.321/.379 with one home run and 21 runs batted in.{{cite web | last=Draper | first=Alan | title=Yainer Diaz Ready for Next Challenge | website=The Sports Daily | date=2019-07-11 | url=https://thesportsdaily.com/news/yainer-diaz-ready-for-next-challenge-brb11/ | access-date=2025-03-02}} Díaz spent the 2018 season with the rookie-level Arizona League Indians, playing in 41 contests and posting a batting line of .355/.387/.503 with 2 home runs and 28 RBI.{{Cite web|title=Yainer Diaz Stats & Scouting Report|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/40715/yainer-diaz/|access-date=2023-06-04|website=baseballamerica.com|date=28 February 2023 |language=en}}
In 2019, Díaz began the year with the AZL Indians, hitting a torrid .451/.477/.707 with 5 home runs and 22 RBI. The performance gifted him a promotion to the Low-A Mahoning Valley Scrappers, where he hit .274 in 34 contests.{{Cite web|title=No. 30 Yainer Diaz, C: Cleveland Indians top prospects right now|url=https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2020/04/no-30-yainer-diaz-c-cleveland-indians-top-prospects-right-now.html?outputType=amp|access-date=2023-06-04|website=cleveland.com| date=2 April 2020 |language=en}} Díaz did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web | last=Adler | first=David | title=2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled | website=MLB.com | date=2020-06-30 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled | access-date=2025-03-02}}
He returned to action in 2021 with the Single-A Lynchburg Hillcats, slashing .314/.357/.464 with 5 home runs and 50 RBI in 61 appearances.{{Cite web |last=Carey |first=Tyler |date=30 July 2021 |title=More Cleveland Indians trades: Myles Straw comes in from Houston Astros; Jordan Luplow, Phil Maton sent out |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/mlb/indians/cleveland-indians-myles-straw-houston-astros-phil-maton-jordan-luplow-tampa-bay-rays/95-7bb326f4-5a7b-4239-869c-84f79771e783 |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=wkyc.com |language=en}}
=Houston Astros=
==Minor leagues (2021–2022)==
On July 30, 2021, the Indians traded Díaz alongside relief pitcher Phil Maton to the Houston Astros in exchange for outfielder Myles Straw.{{cite magazine |last=Rome |first=Chandler |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/astros-view-yainer-diaz-as-more-than-a-throw-in/ |title=Astros view Yainer Díaz as more than a throw-in |magazine=Baseball America |date=August 6, 2021 |access-date=December 9, 2021 |archive-date=November 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119055111/https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/astros-view-yainer-diaz-as-more-than-a-throw-in/ |url-status=live }} Díaz was assigned to the Single-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers upon being acquired, and ended the year on a strong note, hitting .396 in 25 games for the High-A Asheville Tourists.{{cite web | last=Price | first=Jimmy | title=Is It Time To Call It The Yainer Diaz Trade? | website=Astros Future | date=2022-07-12 | url=https://astrosfuture.com/2022/07/is-it-time-to-call-it-the-yainer-diaz-trade/ | access-date=2025-03-02}}
Díaz was promoted to the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys for the 2022 season, batting .306 with an .898 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) in 486 plate appearances.{{cite news |last=Rome |first=Chandler |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/Yainer-Diaz-Houston-Astros-catcher-DH-bench-bat-17416620.php |title=Yainer Diaz arrives to help Astros with the stretch run |work=Houston Chronicle |date=September 2, 2022 |access-date=September 2, 2022}} He was a 2022 All-Star Futures Game selectee.{{cite magazine |last=Van Doren |first=Kenny |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/astros/prospects/houston-astros-prospects-hunter-brown-yainer-diaz-futures-game-performances |title=Houston Astros' prospects Brown, Díaz partake in 2022 All-Star Futures Game |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=July 17, 2022 |access-date=July 17, 2022}} Díaz hit a three-run home run on August 19, 2022, in the sixth inning of the second game of a doubleheader versus the Oklahoma City Dodgers in which the Space Cowboys scored 17 runs to set a franchise record.{{Cite news |date=August 20, 2022 |title=An out of this world inning: 17 runs, 23 batters and 58 minutes for Sugar Land's Space Cowboys |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/Sugar-Land-Space-Cowboys-Astros-17-runs-inning-17386311.php |access-date=August 20, 2022 |work=Houston Chronicle}}
==Major league debut (2022)==
The Astros called Díaz up to the major league roster on September 1, 2022. He made his major league debut on September 2, 2022, starting as the designated hitter versus Los Angeles at Angel Stadium. He was 0-for-3 with a bases loaded walk for his first run batted in (RBI).{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=401356177 |title=McCullers sharp again, pitches into 6th as Astros top Angels |work=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |date=September 2, 2022 |access-date=September 3, 2022}} He got his first hit, a double, against Javy Guerra of the Tampa Bay Rays in the eighth inning on September 20.{{cite news |last=Lerner |first=Danielle |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/Astros-Kyle-Tucker-reaches-100-RBI-mark-in-win-17455748.php |title=Astros' Kyle Tucker reaches 100-RBI mark in win over Rays |work=Houston Chronicle |date=September 20, 2022 |access-date=September 20, 2022}} Following the regular season, Díaz was named the Houston Astros' Minor League Player of the Year.{{Cite magazine |date=October 4, 2022 |title=Astros announce 2022 Minor League Players of the Year |url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-astros-announce-2022-minor-league-players-of-the-year#:~:text=HOUSTON%2C%20TX%20%2D%20The%20Houston%20Astros,League%20Player%20of%20the%20Year. |access-date=January 19, 2023 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}
==Rookie season (2023)==
On March 28, 2023, it was announced that Díaz had made the Astros’ Opening Day roster, his first such selection.{{cite news |last=Rome |first=Chandler |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/corey-julks-cesar-salazar-opening-day-roster-17865441.php |title=Prospects Corey Julks, César Salazar make Astros' roster for opening day |work=Houston Chronicle |date=March 28, 2023 |access-date=March 30, 2023}} He hit his first major league home run on May 14, 2023, versus Lucas Giolito at Guaranteed Rate Field, leading a 4–3 win over the Chicago White Sox.{{cite news |last=Lerner |first=Danielle |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/astros-white-sox-series-finale-game-takeaways-18098596.php |title=Astros 4, White Sox 3: Houston caps road trip with series win |work=Houston Chronicle |date=May 14, 2023 |access-date=May 18, 2023}} Díaz collected his first career four-hit game in the major leagues versus the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre on June 5. He hit two home runs on July 5 for his first multi-home run game, leading a 6–4 win over the Colorado Rockies at Minute Maid Park.{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/401472312 |title=Díaz homers twice to help Houston Astros down Colorado Rockies 6–4 |work=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |date=July 5, 2023 |access-date=July 17, 2023}} On July 24, Díaz recorded the first walk-off hit of his career, a single to score Kyle Tucker and cap a 10–9 victory over the Texas Rangers.{{cite news |last=Kawahara |first=Matt |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/houston-astros-texas-rangers-takeaways-18257304.php |title=Astros 10, Rangers 9: Yainer Diaz's walk-off hit, Chas McCormick's 6 RBIs lift Houston to wild win |work=Houston Chronicle |date=July 24, 2023 |access-date=July 25, 2023}} On September 2, Díaz homered versus Luis Severino of the New York Yankees—his 20th to became the seventh Astros rookie to reach the milestone.{{cite news |last=Kawahara |first=Matt |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/houston-astros-yainer-diaz-playing-time-18345880.php |title=Yainer Diaz hits Astros rookie milestone while his role remains unclear |work=Houston Chronicle |date=September 3, 2023 |access-date=September 3, 2023}}
For the 2023 season, Díaz played in 104 games, batting .282 with 100 hits, 23 home runs, 60 RBI, and an .846 OPS. He played in 60 games as catcher, 38 as designated hitter, and 8 at first base. His 30% of baserunners caught stealing (15-of-50) ranked fourth in the American League (AL).{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/diazya02.shtml |title=Yainer Díaz stats, height, weight, position, rookie status & more |work=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=October 9, 2023}} Among AL rookies with at least 350 plate appearances, he ranked first in slugging percentage (.540, SLG), second in batting and OPS, and tied for third in home runs. His 23 home runs placed second for rookies in franchise history to the teammate Yordan Alvarez' 27 hit in 2019, while his 14 home runs as catcher tied Mitch Meluskey (2000) for the club's rookie record at the position. The Houston chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) named Díaz the Houston Astros' Rookie of the Year.{{cite news |author=Press Release |url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-houston-bbwaa-announces-2023-award-winners#:~:text=fielding%20pct.,3.45%20ERA%20and%20200%20strikeouts. |title=Houston BBWAA announces 2023 award winners |work=MLB.com |date=October 6, 2023 |access-date=October 7, 2023}}
==2024==
On April 1, 2024, Díaz caught Ronel Blanco's first career no-hitter, in a 10–0 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays. This was the 17th no-hitter in franchise history.{{Cite web |last=McTaggart |first=Brian |date=April 1, 2024 |title=In 8th MLB start, Astros righty Ronel Blanco fires 1st no-no of '24 |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ronel-blanco-no-hits-blue-jays |access-date=April 2, 2024 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} Díaz caught 3 additional no-hit bids of 7 innings or more: on June 16 (Blanco versus the Detroit Tigers relieved by Ryan Pressly, {{frac|7|2|3}} innings);{{cite news |last=Rieken |first=Kristie |url=https://apnews.com/article/astros-tigers-ronel-blanco-no-hit-bid-bdcdb368c2c3926c871409b1e54ee3ed |title=Astros' Ronel Blanco pulled after 7 no-hit innings against Tigers. Ryan Pressly allows single in 8th |work=AP News |date=June 16, 2024 |access-date=August 22, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/HOU/HOU202406160.shtml |title=Detroit Tigers (1) at Houston Astros (4) box score |work=Baseball-Reference.com |date=June 16, 2024 |access-date=September 13, 2024}} on August 6 (Framber Valdez starting versus the Texas Rangers, {{frac|8|2|3}} innings);{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=401570171 |title=Valdez loses no-hitter with 2 outs in 9th on Seager homer as Astros beat rival Rangers 4–2 |work=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |date=August 6, 2024 |access-date=August 17, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TEX/TEX202408060.shtml |title=Houston Astros (4) at Texas Rangers (2) box score |work=Baseball-Reference.com |date=August 6, 2024 |access-date=September 13, 2024}} on August 30 (Valdez versus the Kansas City Royals relieved by Bryan Abreu, {{frac|7|2|2}} innings).{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/401570489 |title=Framber Valdez holds Royals hitless through 7, Jose Altuve's hit in 9th lifts Astros to 3–2 win |work=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |date=August 30, 2024 |access-date=August 30, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI202408280.shtml |title=Houston Astros (10) at Philadelphia Phillies (0) box score |work=Baseball-Reference.com |date=August 28, 2024 |access-date=September 13, 2024}} In a 6–2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 30, 2024, Díaz was 4-for-4 with a home run, his second career four-hit game. Over his previous 30 games, he had hit .374 with 46 hits and 24 RBI.{{cite news |last=Huang |first=Christina |url=https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/yainer-diaz-has-four-hits-for-astros-in-loss |title=Diaz's 4-hit night a bright spot in loss |work=MLB.com |date=July 30, 2024 |access-date=September 1, 2024}} Díaz hit his first career walk-off home run on August 19, 2024, to secure a 5–4 victory over the Boston Red Sox.{{cite news |last=Rakes |first=Jeremy |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/yainer-diaz-hits-walk-off-home-run-vs-red-sox |title=Diaz helps Astros overcome 4-error game with walk-off blast |work=MLB.com |date=August 19, 2024 |access-date=August 31, 2024}}
For the 2024 regular season, Díaz batted .299/.325/.441/.766, 29 doubles, 16 home runs, and 84 RBI over 148 games, his first full major league season. He appeared in 102 games as catcher, 37 as designated hitter, and 11 as first baseman. Díaz ranked 5th in the AL in batting, 7th in hits (175), and 4th in sacrifice flies (8); he led the league in double plays ground into with 22. He also ranked second on the club in base hits and RBI.{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2024.shtml |title=2024 Houston Astros statistics |work=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=October 11, 2024}}
==2025==
Díaz connected for his first career grand slam on April 11, 2025, while driving in a new career-high five runs to lead a 14–3 win over the Los Angeles Angels.{{cite newspaper |last=Kawahara |first=Matt |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/astros/article/houston-la-angels-how-to-watch-20270611.php |title=Astros 14, Angels 3: Yainer Diaz hits grand slam to lead offensive outburst |work=Houston Chronicle |date=April 11, 2025 |access-date=April 11, 2025}}
Awards
| class="wikitable"
|+ Awards won by Yainer Díaz |
| Award
!Category !Result / !{{Tooltip|No.|Numvber of times won}} !Year !{{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| rowspan="2" |Houston Astros |
| colspan="2" |Rookie of the Year
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 |style="text-align:center;"| 2023 |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats|mlb=673237|espn=4781491|br=d/diazya02|fangraphs=23003|brm=diaz--000yai|retro=D/Pdiazy004}}
{{Houston Astros roster navbox}}
{{Portal bar|Dominican Republic|Baseball|Biography}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diaz, Yainer}}
Category:Arizona League Indians players
Category:Asheville Tourists players
Category:Corpus Christi Hooks players
Category:Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States
Category:Dominican Summer League Indians players
Category:Fayetteville Woodpeckers players
Category:Houston Astros players
Category:Leones del Escogido players
Category:Lynchburg Hillcats players
Category:Mahoning Valley Scrappers players
Category:Major League Baseball catchers
Category:Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic