Yuniesky Betancourt
From BR Bullpen
Yuniesky Betancourt
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 10", Weight 190 lb.
- Debut July 28, 2005
- Born January 31, 1982 in Santa Clara, Villa Clara, Cuba
[edit] Biographical Information
"I was really scared in the middle of the sea, and everything was pitch black, and I remember not knowing if I would ever make it." - Yuniesky Betancourt, about being dropped off at a Bahamian beach for several days, in an effort to avoid the US Coast Guard in 2003 while he was leaving Cuba to try for the USA
Yuniesky Betancourt, who was signed in 2005, is in his fourth year of professional baseball in the USA in 2007. In 2005, he played in Double A, Triple A, the Futures Game, and in the majors for 60 games.
In 2006 he was the everyday shortstop for the 2006 Seattle Mariners, hitting .289 with 11 stolen bases, 8 homers and 6 triples. He continues to be the starting shortstop in 2007 and 2008.
He had a dramatic saga coming to the USA, as he was smuggled in by boat in 2003, driven to Los Angeles, went back to Mexico to try to get a visa to come back legitimately to the USA, was arrested by Mexico and released, and then came to the USA seeking asylum. Source: www.latinobaseball.com/hot-corner-18.php
He is the only major leaguer to bear the name "Yuniesky" and one of only two to have the last name "Betancourt". The other, Rafael Betancourt, is from Venezuela.
