Yurendell DeCaster
Encyclopedia
Yurendell Eithel DeCaster (born September 26, 1979) is a professional baseball
third baseman
, currently playing for the Broncos de Reynosa
in the Mexican League. He played part of one season in Major League Baseball
with the Pittsburgh Pirates
.
as a free agent in 1996, DeCaster was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates from Tampa Bay in the 2000 minor league
phase of the Rule 5 draft
.
DeCaster was one of just three players to hit three home runs in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, while playing for the Netherlands
team.
DeCaster spent entire 2005 season with Triple-A Indianapolis Indians
, where he made 28 appearances at third base, 25 at first base
, 13 at second base
and 58 in the outfield
. He posted a .280 batting average
with 11 home run
s and 61 RBI
, and also led his club in games played
(122) and doubles
(31). He also had a productive 2005-06 season playing for the Caribes de Anzoátegui of the Venezuelan Winter League, after hitting .325 (68-for-209) with 17 home runs and 47 RBI in just 60 games. His 17 home runs tied him with Tom Evans
for the league-leading.
In 2006, DeCaster again began the season with Indianapolis, with whom he spent most of the season. In 119 games with the Indians, he batted .273 with 11 home runs and 51 RBI. He was called up to the Pirates twice, from May 21–24 and June 5–13, and appeared in 3 games. He struck out in both of his at-bats in the majors.
He was released on December 9, 2006, but came back to Pittsburgh in 2007 and spent the whole season in the minor leagues with them.
On November 27, 2007, DeCaster signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals
that included an invitation to spring training
. He was assigned to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators
of the Eastern League to begin the 2008 season. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
In February 2009, DeCaster signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers
, but was released in April.
DeCaster played for the Netherlands in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
. He lined a ball hard off of first-baseman Willy Aybar
(credited an error) to score the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning in his teams' second game against the Dominican Republic, securing the Netherlands a second-round berth in Pool 2.
DeCaster began the 2009 season with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
of the Northern League, but on June 29, 2009, DeCaster's contract was purchased by the New York Yankees
, who assigned him to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. He was released on September 2.
DeCaster is on the preliminary roster for the 2009 Baseball World Cup.
In 2010, DeCaster signed with the Broncos, where he batted .339 in 101 games. He returned to Reynosa in 2011.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, currently playing for the Broncos de Reynosa
Broncos de Reynosa
The Reynosa Broncos are a Mexican team that play in the Adolfo Lopez Mateos stadium in the city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas.The Broncos de Reynosa play in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol and it's part of the Zona Norte division....
in the Mexican League. He played part of one season in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
.
Career
Originally signed by the Tampa Bay Devil RaysTampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
as a free agent in 1996, DeCaster was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates from Tampa Bay in the 2000 minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
phase of the Rule 5 draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
.
DeCaster was one of just three players to hit three home runs in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, while playing for the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
team.
DeCaster spent entire 2005 season with Triple-A Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
, where he made 28 appearances at third base, 25 at first base
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
, 13 at second base
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
and 58 in the outfield
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. He posted a .280 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with 11 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 61 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, and also led his club in games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
(122) and doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(31). He also had a productive 2005-06 season playing for the Caribes de Anzoátegui of the Venezuelan Winter League, after hitting .325 (68-for-209) with 17 home runs and 47 RBI in just 60 games. His 17 home runs tied him with Tom Evans
Tom Evans (baseball)
Thomas John Evans is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball. Between 1997 and 2000, Evans played for the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers . He batted and threw right-handed....
for the league-leading.
In 2006, DeCaster again began the season with Indianapolis, with whom he spent most of the season. In 119 games with the Indians, he batted .273 with 11 home runs and 51 RBI. He was called up to the Pirates twice, from May 21–24 and June 5–13, and appeared in 3 games. He struck out in both of his at-bats in the majors.
He was released on December 9, 2006, but came back to Pittsburgh in 2007 and spent the whole season in the minor leagues with them.
On November 27, 2007, DeCaster signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
that included an invitation to spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
. He was assigned to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators
Harrisburg Senators
The Harrisburg Senators are a minor league baseball team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals....
of the Eastern League to begin the 2008 season. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
In February 2009, DeCaster signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, but was released in April.
DeCaster played for the Netherlands in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
. He lined a ball hard off of first-baseman Willy Aybar
Willy Aybar
Willy Del Jesus Aybar is an infielder who currently plays for the Yuma Scorpions in the North American League. Aybar has previously played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and Tampa Bay Rays...
(credited an error) to score the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning in his teams' second game against the Dominican Republic, securing the Netherlands a second-round berth in Pool 2.
DeCaster began the 2009 season with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the Northern League, but on June 29, 2009, DeCaster's contract was purchased by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, who assigned him to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. He was released on September 2.
DeCaster is on the preliminary roster for the 2009 Baseball World Cup.
In 2010, DeCaster signed with the Broncos, where he batted .339 in 101 games. He returned to Reynosa in 2011.