Yangervis Solarte

Yangervis Alfredo Solarte (born July 7, 1987) is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his major league debut for the New York Yankees on April 2, 2014. While primarily a third baseman throughout his career, Solarte also played first base and second base for the Padres.

Professional career

Solarte with the Fort Myers Miracle in 2008

Minnesota Twins

Solarte signed with the Minnesota Twins in 2005.^[1] He played in the Twins organization until 2011.

Texas Rangers

In December 2011, he signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers, which included an invitation to spring training.^[2]

New York Yankees

Solarte became a free agent after 2013 and signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees in January 2014.^[3][4] In spring training in 2014, Solarte competed with Eduardo Núñez, Zelous Wheeler, Dean Anna, and Scott Sizemore for a reserve infielder role with the Yankees,^[5] making the team out of spring training.^[6]

Solarte playing for the New York Yankees in 2014

On April 8, 2014, Solarte hit two doubles, and became the first player in the Modern Era (since 1900) to hit six doubles in his first seven games in the Major Leagues.^[7] On April 17, 2014 Solarte started a 5-4-3 triple play against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. He hit his first big league home run later that same game off of Rays pitcher Grant Balfour. He then hit his second home run, a three-run homer, against the Milwaukee Brewers, which eventually drove them to win the game. Early the next month, Solarte at one point held the highest batting average in the American League. On July 3, 2014 Solarte was optioned back down to AAA while INF Zelous Wheeler was called up to the main roster. On July 10, 2014 Solarte was called back up to the Yankees in place of the injured Carlos Beltrán.^[8]

San Diego Padres

On July 22, 2014, the Yankees traded Solarte and Rafael De Paula to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Chase Headley.^[9] One day later on the 23rd, Solarte made his Padres debut on the road against the Chicago Cubs, where he hit an RBI triple to right field in his first at-bat to score Chris Denorfia.

Personal life

Solarte's uncle is Roger Cedeño. Cedeño convinced his agent to take Solarte as a client as a favor.^[10] His wife, Yuliette Pimentel Solarte died on September 17th, 2016 due to complications with her cancer. The couple has three daughters.^[11]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yangervis Solarte.

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Pura Pelota website – Venezuelan League batting and fielding statistics
• Yangervis Solarte on Twitter