Dodgers: Former LA Rising Star Reappears Two Years Removed from DFA
In 2015, the Dodgers signed a promising young Cuban pitcher to a $16M deal. Yadier Alvarez's tremendous potential even warranted the Dodgers paying an additional $16M in the form of a penalty for exceeding the international signing salary cap by signing Alvarez.
After five seasons in the Dodgers organization, Alvarez was designated for assignment in late-February of 2020.
Alvarez popped up in the baseball media sphere for the first time in a long time last week. MLB writer Francys Romero posted a video of Alvarez throwing.
Alvarez was at one time a rising star in the Dodgers system. Baseball America ranked him as the 26th best prospect in MLB. In 2017, he was a minor league All-Star and pitched for the World Team in the Future Game.
Then, Yadier's career unraveled.
He abruptly left the Tulsa Drillers (Double-A) team and stated that he "didn't want to play baseball anymore". LA placed him on the restricted list towards the end of 2019. He also met with a psychologist. Alvarez credited the psychologist with helping his mental fortitude.
In five minor league seasons, Alvarez posted a 4.07 ERA in 214.1 innings pitched.
