From roofing to a spring training sensation, Rockies’ Jefry Yan delights with mound celebrations

More than a decade after the bat flip became ubiquitous following a big homer in Major League Baseball, Colorado Rockies pitcher Jefry Yan might be at the forefront of a celebration revolution on the mound.

The lanky Dominican left-hander has become the talk of spring training in Arizona with his animated celebrations, leaping into the air and nearly doing the splits following a strikeout.

The 28-year-old says he comes by the enthusiasm honestly — a celebration of his long journey back to baseball.

“I never wish ill will or want to make the batter look bad,” Yan said through an interpreter. “I’m just enjoying baseball. That’s my main focus. So when I strike someone out, the emotions come out of me.”

The well-traveled pitcher started his professional baseball career in 2014, spending two seasons in the Los Angeles Angels organization as a teenager before arm injuries derailed his career. He had Tommy John elbow surgery in 2016 and was eventually released.

For the next 3 1/2 years, he played in a Sunday amateur league in Arizona and did odd jobs on the side, including roofing, landscaping and being a delivery driver.

“I was still working on my baseball stuff,” Yan said. “I never let my dream of playing in MLB go away.”

It wasn’t until 2021 that he got back into professional baseball, signing with the Miami Marlins and spending three years in their organization, making it all the way to Triple-A but never the big leagues. He struck out 102 batters over 57 innings in 2023 and elected for free agency following the season.

Last year, he pitched in Japan before signing with the Rockies this winter. Rockies manager Bud Black said he’s been impressed with the late-blooming lefty who can hit the mid-90s with his fastball and has some nasty breaking pitches that are tough to pick up thanks to a herky-jerky delivery.

Yan threw a scoreless inning of relief on Sunday against the Seattle Mariners. He hasn’t given up a run in three appearances this spring.

“There’s been a few walks in the minors, but the strikeout is in there,” Black said. “We need him to continue to throw the ball over the plate and be aggressive. He’s a little flamboyant for sure, but that’s who he is. We encourage guys to be themselves.”

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan and outfielder James Outman said they had seen Yan’s celebrations on the mound and didn’t have a problem with it. Outman’s only issue was that a pitcher gets a lot more strikeouts than batters hit homers, so the balance needs to be right.

“A good compromise would be a three-pitch strikeout,” Outman said. “That’s worth it.”

Yan said fans in Japan were receptive to his strikeout gymnastics and added that international baseball is ahead of the curve with celebrations — whether its in the Dominican Republic or Japan.

But the passion is catching on in the big leagues.

Star hitters from the Dominican Republic like Elly de la Cruz and Fernando Tatis Jr. are no strangers to bringing some added flair to their celebrations, and Yan said they have every right to be jubilant after a home run.

“They’re going to enjoy their time, I’m going to enjoy my time,” Yan said. “Everything’s fair. You do you, and I’ll do my celebration.”

Yan is probably a longshot to make the Rockies’ opening day roster, but in the thin air of Coors Field, plenty of pitching is needed over a six-month season. The mound moxie is a fun part of his persona, but the lefty knows it’s the results that will help him realize his dream of making the big leagues.

Then the real celebration will begin.

“I pray that I’m healthy, can help this team and make my major league debut,” Yan said.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB