Yohel Pozo

Yohel Enrique Pozo

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 201 lb.

• Debut August 13, 2021

• Born June 14, 1997 in Maracaibo, Zulia Venezuela

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Biographical Information

In his major league debut with the Texas Rangers on August 13, 2021, catcher Yohel Pozo went 2 for 4 with a homer. He started at DH in an 8-6 win over the Oakland Athletics, the homer coming off Sergio Romo. He was originally signed by the Rangers on August 17, 2013, and after six seasons in the minors, he was signed by the San Diego Padres as a minor league free agent in November 2020, after being forced to sit out the preceding season when the minor leagues were shut down by the Coronavirus pandemic. That year was particularly tough on Yohan and his young family as they temporarily found themselves homeless and had to live out of the family car for a spell while his newborn son Paul was undergoing medical treatment and he did not have access to health insurance. He only stayed in the Padres' organization a few weeks, however, as on December 10th, he was drafted by the Rangers in the minor league phase of the 2020 Rule V Draft. He hit .284 in 21 games for Texas, with 1 homer and 9 RBIs, but then was out of the majors for the next three seasons.

In 2022, he was with the Round Rock Express in the Pacific Coast League and hit .320 in 65 games, but did not receive a call-up. He changed organizations in 2023, being signed as a free agent by the Oakland Athletics, but spent all of 2023 and 2024 in AAA with the Las Vegas Aviators. He hit well both seasons, finishing at .306 in 92 games the first year, and .324 in 90 games the second, with 18 and 15 homers, but again did not receive a call to the Show. He was his team's primary back-up catcher both years, played a few games at first base as well, and was also the emergency blow-out pitcher, pitching in a total of six games over the two seasons. He was signed by the Atlanta Braves on November 13, 2024, bit only to be released two days later.

Yohan finally found some stability in January of 2025 when he was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was to occupy a similar role as the one he had filled in Las Vegas, as he started the season with the Memphis Redbirds of the International League, going 7 for 21 with 3 doubles and 2 homers over his first seven games. He was called up to St. Louis on April 7th and celebrated his return to the majors that day with a homer off Thomas Harrington in four at-bats against the Pittsburgh Pirates and also threw out a runner trying to steal in an 8-4 loss. He was taking the place of C Ivan Herrera, who had been injured in the first game of a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox the day before; back-up Pedro Pages had been forced to work both games and badly needed a breather.

Further Reading

• John Denton: "Five years ago he was living out of his car. Now he's living out his MLB dream", mlb.com, April 7, 2025. [1]

Related Sites

• Yohel Pozo on mlb.com