Yadier Álvarez worked out for the Miami Marlins yesterday in hopes of signing with the organization. The hard-throwing Cuban righty threw an array of pitches for scouts and the club’s hierarchy highlighted by his fastball which hovered steadily around 95-96 MPH all day.
Álvarez was once considered a phenom when he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for a 16 million dollar bonus in 2015. Armed with a fastball that touched triple digits some scouts said he was the best pitching prospect they had ever seen.
Right-hander Yadier Álvarez worked out for the @Marlins today. The flamethrowing Cuban's fastball sat comfortably between 95-96 mph on the day. #pelotacubana #MakeItMiami pic.twitter.com/zf7NJ5Bukz
— Yusseff305 🇨🇺🇺🇲 (@yusseff305) May 10, 2023
In his first season (2016) with the teams Arizona Rookie League affiliate he turned heads going 1-1 with 1.80 earned run average and striking out 26 batters in 20 innings pitched. He was promoted to Great Lakes (A) where he made nine starts going 3-2 with a 2.29 ERA, all while striking out 55 in 39.1 innings. All was looking go for Álvarez after that season.
The 2017 season was split between Rancho Cucamonga (A+) and Tulsa (AA) by the flamethrowing righty. During the season he posted a record of 4-6 and a 4.68 with the two squads. The next season he made the Futures Game, but then everything was down hill for Álvarez.
Injuries and inconsistencies caused his career to spiral and eventually he was removed from the team’s top 30 prospects. After a disappointing 2022 season with Oklahoma City (AAA) he opted for free agency.