Starting from The Dominican

Yan was originally signed by the Atlanta Braves as an amateur free agent in 1990. After spending time in the minor leagues, he made his major league debut with the Baltimore Orioles on May 20, 1996.

Baseball career

In his Major League Baseball career, Yan has posted a 33-39 record with 51 saves and a 5.14 ERA in 472 games played. Yan has previously played with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and Cincinnati Reds.

Baseball in Asia

Yan spent the 2007 season as a pitcher for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League. In 2008, Yan rejoined the Orioles organization, but this time with its minor league affiliate the Norfolk Tides. Yan was released on July 18, 2008. He signed with SK Wyverns of the Korean Baseball League in July, 2008 and spent the rest of the season with them.

Mexican and Independent Leagues

Yan spent the first half of 2009 pitching for the Bridgeport Bluefish, an unaffiliated minor league team in the Atlantic League. On August 11, 2009, Yan signed a minor league contract with the Florida Marlins and was assigned to the New Orleans Zephyrs. However, he failed the physical and stayed with Bridgeport. He signed with the Diablos Rojos del México to start 2010, then returned to the Bluefish, by whom he was activated on August 17. He returned to the Bluefish in 2011, splitting the season between Bridgeport and the Vaqueros Laguna of the Mexican League. He signed with the Saraperos de Saltillo for the 2012 season.

Famous moments

On June 4, 2000, Yan hit a home run in his first major league at bat, on the first pitch. He also had a single in his next at bat, the only other of his career, giving him a 1.000 batting average and a 2.500 slugging percentage.

Yan is the first member of the Tampa Bay Rays to be named on The Simpsons. In the March 16, 2003, episode entitled "C. E. D'oh!," Bart Simpson exclaims "Look at me! I'm Tomokazu Ohka of the Montreal Expos !" while playing baseball, to which Milhouse replies "Well, I'm Esteban Yan of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays!", referencing the relative obscurity of the two pitchers, as well as the unusual nature of their names.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]