Catcher Jose Yepez Becomes Third RailCat in Major Leagues
Published on June 30, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
GARY, Ind. - A fifteen-year baseball odyssey culminated Wednesday as the only catcher to win a Championship as a member of the Gary SouthShore RailCats, Jose Yepez, became the third player in franchise history to advance to the major leagues after joining the Seattle Mariners roster.
Yepez, 30, will likely take in his first major league game in uniform on the bench serving as the backup catcher Friday evening when the Mariners host the San Diego Padres at 7:10 p.m. The Venezuelan backstop has been a member of the Mariners organization since the club purchased his contract from the RailCats following the 2007 Northern League Championship, the second for Yepez with the RailCats. Before getting the call, Yepez was batting .276 in 28 games for the Tacoma Rainiers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Mariners.
"This is one of our proudest moments in RailCats history," said RailCats Manager Greg Tagert. "Jose is very deserving and is an inspiration to every player who wears a RailCats uniform. This is a great example of what's possible when commitment, effort, and desire measures up with talent. Jose loved being a RailCat and is still a big part of our organization. We could not have won two championships without him and I couldn't be happier."
Yepez becomes the third player in the RailCats ten-year history to reach the major leagues after playing in Northwest Indiana. Left-handed pitcher Tim Byrdak became the first to get to the big leagues in 2005 with the Baltimore Orioles and currently is a member of the New York Mets bullpen boasting a 4.12 ERA in 34 games this season. Outfielder Nathan Haynes spent the first half of the 2006 season with the RailCats before getting his shot in May 2007 with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The former first round pick of the Oakland Athletics currently serves at the Hitting Coach for the Orem Owlz, the Pioneer League affiliate of the Angels.
An outstanding defensive catcher, Yepez signed his first professional contract at the age of seventeen, agreeing to a deal as a nondrafted free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays in October 1997. The first six seasons of his professional career were spent in the Blue Jays organization where Yepez advanced as high as Single-A Advanced Dunedin. Yepez's best season in the Blue Jays system came in 2002 with the Charleston AlleyCats of the South Atlantic League. That year, Yepez posted a .252 batting average adding 11 doubles and five home runs to go along with 37 RBI.
After being granted free agency in October 2004, Yepez joined the independent ranks as a member of the RailCats in 2005 helping lead the 'Cats to their first-ever Northern League Championship. In addition to his stellar .291 batting average and 21 doubles, Yepez threw out a truly impressive 37 percent of opposing runners trying to steal against him during the '05 title run. Following the season, the RailCats sold Yepez's contract to the Mariners making him the 15th player sold to a major league organization in franchise history at the time
Third all-time in on-base percentage for the RailCats, Yepez joined the American Association's Pensacola Pelicans in 2006 before returning to Northwest Indiana to help lead the RailCats to another Northern League crown. Yepez led the 'Cats in home runs (6) and RBI (56) while catching the best pitching staff in the Northern League in 2007. RailCats hurlers led the NL with a 3.87 ERA and Yepez handled the Pitcher of the Year (Willie Glen), the Most Outstanding Player of the Championship Series (Glen), two pitchers of the month (Chad Blackwell, June and Glen, August) and five pitchers of the week. Yepez was a starter in the 2007 Northern League All-Star Game and the Mariners purchased his contract from the RailCats for a second time following another championship celebration.
Yepez's second stint in affiliated baseball led to his recent call up to the big league club. Yepez excelled in 2008 and 2009 with Single-A High Desert in the California League and the Double-A West Tennessee in the Southern League batting .283 and .314 respectively. The Venezuelan backstop's astounding on-base percentage of .400 in 2009 was the best of his career and added another career mark during the 2010 campaign in West Tennessee as his batting average soared to .328.
For his minor league career, Yepez has thrown out 29 percent of all runners attempting to steal against him. In 692 professional games, Yepez has earned a .265 batting average on 603 hits in 2,275 at-bats while adding 130 doubles and walking 233 times against just 315 strikeouts.
The RailCats return home to beautiful U. S. Steel Yard on Saturday, July 2 for Steel Night featuring the RailCats Lunchbox Giveaway to the first 1,000 kids entering the ballpark courtesy of Geminus Corporation and the Post-Tribune. For more information on everything RailCats baseball or to purchase tickets now visit www.railcatsbaseball.com or call the 'Cats at 219.882.2255.
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