Yohel Pozo

Yohel Pozo
Pozo with the Round Rock Express in 2022
St. Louis Cardinals
Catcher / Designated hitter
Born: (1997-06-14) June 14, 1997 (age 27) Maracaibo, Venezuela
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 13, 2021, for the Texas Rangers
MLB statistics (through 2021 season)
Batting average	.284
Home runs	1
Runs batted in	9
Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
Texas Rangers (2021)

Yohel Enrique Pozo (born June 14, 1997) is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher and designated hitter in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, for whom he debuted with in 2021.

Career

Texas Rangers

Pozo played for Venezuela in the 2009 Little League World Series.[1] Pozo signed as an international free agent with the Texas Rangers on August 17, 2013, for a $100,000 signing bonus.[2] Pozo spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons with the DSL Rangers of the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League; hitting .273/.329/.333 with 29 RBI in 2014, and .272/.335/.354 with one home run and 24 RBI in 2015.[3] He spent the 2016 season with the Arizona League Rangers of the Rookie-level Arizona League, hitting .343/.382/.448 with one home run and 22 RBI.[3] Pozo split the 2017 season between the Spokane Indians of the Low–A Northwest League and the Hickory Crawdads of the Single–A South Atlantic League, hitting a combined .323/.351/.478 with four home runs and 25 RBI.[3] Pozo spent the 2018 season back with Hickory, hitting .264/.312/.411 with 10 home runs and 49 RBI.[3] His 2019 season was spent with the Down East Wood Ducks of the High–A Carolina League, where he hit .246/.274/.357 with nine home runs and 43 RBI.[3]

Pozo did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancelation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] He became a free agent on November 2, 2020.[5]

On November 17, 2020, Pozo signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres organization.[6] Pozo returned to Texas, when on December 10, he was selected by the Rangers in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft.[7][8]

Pozo spent the 2021 minor league season with the Round Rock Express of the Triple-A West, hitting .337/.352/.622 with 23 home runs and 74 RBI over 77 games.[3][9] On August 13, 2021, Texas selected his contract and promoted him to the active roster.[10] That night versus the Oakland Athletics, he made his major league debut.[11] In his debut, recorded his first career hit off Cole Irvin, and his first MLB home run off Sergio Romo.[12][13] Over 21 game for Texas in 2021, Pozo hit .284/.312/.378 with one home run and nine RBI.[14]

On November 30, 2021, Pozo was non–tendered by the Rangers, making him a free agent.[15] He re–signed with Texas on a minor league contract the next day.[16] Appearing in just 65 games for Round Rock in 2022, Pozo hit .320/.352/.474 with six home runs and 38 RBI. He elected free agency following the season on November 10, 2022.[17]

Oakland Athletics

On December 13, 2022, Pozo signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Oakland Athletics.[18] In 92 games for the Triple–A Las Vegas Aviators in 2023, he slashed .306/.338/.523 with 18 home runs and 81 RBI.

Pozo re-signed with Oakland on a minor league contract on November 11, 2023. He returned to Las Vegas in 2024, batting .324/.335/.538 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI. Pozo elected free agency following the season on November 4, 2024.[19]

St. Louis Cardinals

On November 13, 2024, Pozo signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves.[20] However he was released by the organization two days later.[21] On January 23, 2025, Pozo signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals.[22]

Legal troubles

Pozo and upwards of seven other Rangers prospects were investigated by Dominican Republic police, in regards to a 2016 incident where video was uploaded to Snapchat, purporting to show the sexual assault of a Rangers minor league player.[23][24] Pozo was suspended while the investigation was pending, but was not charged with any crimes.[25][26]

Personal life

Pozo's father, also named Yohel, played five seasons of minor league baseball in the Colorado Rockies organization.[27][1]

See also

• List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
• Rule 5 draft results

References

1. Parker, Mark (June 16, 2018). "Like Father, Like Son: With dad as a guide, Crawdads' Pozo pursues their major league dreams". Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
2. Badler, Ben (March 12, 2014). "2013-14 International Reviews: Texas Rangers". Baseball America. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
3. "Yohel Pozo Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
4. "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
5. "Full List of 2020-2021 MiLB Free Agents". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
6. Sanders, Jeff (November 18, 2020). "Minor league moves tracker: Padres sign Katoh, former RB High star; Gettys signs with Red Sox". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
7. Longenhagen, Eric (December 10, 2020). "The 2020 Rule 5 Draft Scouting Reports". FanGraphs.com. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
8. Mayo, Jonathan (December 10, 2020). "2020 Rule 5 Draft results, pick by pick". MLB.com. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
9. Rosner, Mark (July 14, 2021). "Round Rock Express: Yohel Pozo has stayed hot while team's other bats have cooled". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
10. "Rangers activate RHP Dane Dunning from 10-day injured list, select contract of C Yohel Pozo from Round Rock". MLB.com.
11. "Yohel Pozo Hits Key HR in Big-League Debut, Rangers Beat A's 8-6". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
12. Landry, Kennedi (August 13, 2021). "Pozo after HR in debut: 'Never want to forget'". MLB.com. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
13. "Yohel Pozo se estrenó con cuadrangular en las Grandes Ligas". El Carabobeño (in Spanish). August 14, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
14. Levi Weaver (October 6, 2021). "Grading the 2021 Texas Rangers: Position players edition". The Athletic. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
15. Adams, Steve (November 30, 2021). "American League Non-Tenders: 11/30/21". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
16. Morris, Adam J. (December 1, 2021). "Gray signing official, Garcia, Pozo re-signed". Lone Star Ball (SB Nation). Retrieved December 2, 2021.
17. "2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
18. RotoWire, Staff (December 13, 2022). "Athletics' Yohel Pozo: Invited to camp by A's". CBSSports.com. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
19. "Minor League Free Agents 2024". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
20. "Braves Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. November 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
21. https://www.mlb.com/player/yohel-pozo-650968
22. "Cardinals' Yohel Pozo: MiLB deal with St. Louis". cbssports.com. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
23. Sanchez, Mark W. (November 21, 2016). "MLB prospects post video of 'sexual assault' of underage teammate". New York Post. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
24. Heck, Jordan (November 21, 2016). "Video shows details of alleged sexual hazing by Rangers prospects". The Sporting News. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
25. Lee, Greg (June 27, 2017). "Spokane Indians' Yohel Pozo under investigation by Major League Baseball". The Spokesman Review. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
26. Fraley, Gerry (March 18, 2017). "Rangers suspended minor-leaguers receive clearance to resume workouts". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
27. "Yohel Pozo Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 13, 2021.

External links

• Career statistics from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)