Moving on Up with Mike Yastrzemski

On the same night Christian Walker and Dariel Alvarez made their Triple-A debuts with the Norfolk Tides, Mike Yastrzemski made his Double-A debut with the Bowie Baysox against the Altoona Curve.

Just one month after he was promoted to the Frederick Keys where he batted .312 with seven doubles and 19 RBIs, he was yet again moved up in the Orioles Farm System making him the first 2013 draft pick to reach the Double-A level.

Some questioned if Yastrzemski was being moved up too quickly through the Minors by the Orioles. His performance last night however silenced all those worries.

Placed in the leadoff spot of the lineup, Yastrzemski wasted no time in getting his first hit in Double-A. In the second pitch of the game, he hit a hard ground ball that snuck through the infield and into left field for a leadoff single.

Yastrzemski would score later in the inning when the next batter, Niuman Romero hit a RBI double to left field giving the Baysox an early 1-0 lead. He would hit another single the following inning to start off his Double-A career going 2-2.

In the same inning Garabez Rosa hit a home run to tie the game up at 3-a-piece, “Yaz” grounded out to first base. This would be the only time Altoona would get Yaz out in the game.

During the next at-bat in the top of the seventh inning, Yastrzemski stepped up to the plate and he proceed to do what has been his “calling card” this season by hitting a triple to right field.

If going 3-4 in his Double-A debut was not enough for his fans, Yastrzemski would record another single in the ninth inning and later scored off a two-run homer from Chris Marrero to extend the Bowie lead to 8-5.

When the game ended, Bowie was victorious by a score of 8-6 and Mike Yastrzemski turned heads with his debut performance in Double-A. Surprisingly, Yaz did not record a single RBI during his four-hit night. However, I am sure his first RBI in Double-A is not too far off and he will most likely record one tonight.

The fact of the matter is that Yastrzemski is moving up and moving fast. Every challenge he is faced with, he overcomes them. Every level of play he is thrown in, he thrives in. In 2014 alone, Yaz has succeeded with the Delmarva Shorebirds, the Frederick Keys and now the Bowie Baysox. Sooner rather than later, Yastrzemski will be moving up again and Baltimore better get ready because this up-and-coming star is on the rise fast.