This pitcher's strikeout celebrations defy gravity
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Jefry Yan is the very definition of a journeyman.
The 28-year-old left-hander has kept his professional baseball dreams alive despite being out of affiliated baseball for a period of four years, during which time he played in a men's league in Arizona, from which he was discovered by the Marlins in 2021.
Things didn't work out with Miami, but Yan has earned another chance to finally reach the big leagues: the Rockies have signed him to a Minor League contract with the hope that he can show he has what it takes to pitch in the Majors.
Beyond his incredible story of perseverance, Yan has another way in which he shows his passion for the game. Reminiscent of another eccentric left-hander out of the Dominican Republic, one who pitched for the Expos and Dodgers from 1995-2000, Yan has quite the reaction to succeeding on the mound.
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Baseball connoisseurs from the 1990s will surely recall the exploits of Carlos Perez, who would pounce on the mound with his pitching arm in the air after a big strikeout or a big play in the field that got him out of a jam. Yan has demonstrated a similar flourish after completing his follow-through -- in fact, Yan may have an even more flamboyant celebration style than Perez did.
Yan pitched for the Saitama Seibu Lions in Japan last season, posting a 4.89 ERA over 49 appearances. He's been fantastic in the Dominican Winter League, pitching to a 1.45 ERA in 22 appearances for Estrellas Orientales, striking out 24 and walking eight over that span.
Will Yan follow in Perez's footsteps -- and pounces of excitement -- to MLB? The Rockies hope so, and so do fans who have been waiting decades for a successor to Perez.