Mike Yastrzemski Bio
Michael Andrew Yastrzemski, nicknamed “Yaz,” is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. Born on August 23, 1990, he has previously played for the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals. He is the grandson of Baseball Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski.
After playing college baseball at Vanderbilt University and spending several years in the minor leagues, Yastrzemski debuted in the majors in 2019 and quickly became a middle-of-the-order presence for the Giants. Across his major league career, he has combined above-average plate discipline with right-handed power, earning All-MLB Second Team honors in 2020. He joined the Braves in December 2025 on a two-year contract.
Early Life and Background
Michael Andrew Yastrzemski was born on August 23, 1990, in Andover, Massachusetts. He grew up in Andover and attended St. John’s Preparatory School in nearby Danvers, where he played for the school’s baseball team and was named team captain in his senior year.
Yastrzemski comes from a deep baseball family. His grandfather, Carl Yastrzemski, is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and began teaching Mike hitting during his freshman year of high school. His father, Carl Yastrzemski Jr., played college baseball at Florida State and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the third round of the 1984 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase. Carl Jr. played professionally in the minors from 1984 to 1988 but died in 2004 at age 43 from a blood clot following hip surgery.
Seen as a possible early-round pick in the 2009 MLB Draft, Yastrzemski made clear he would attend college unless chosen in the first round. The Boston Red Sox selected him in the 36th round, and he instead enrolled at Vanderbilt University on a college baseball scholarship.
Path to Baseball
At Vanderbilt, Yastrzemski became a starter for the Commodores in the middle of his freshman year and spent two summers playing collegiate baseball for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League. After his junior season, the Seattle Mariners selected him in the 30th round of the 2012 MLB Draft and offered a signing bonus well above the suggested slot for that round. Yastrzemski returned to Vanderbilt for his senior year and was named All-Southeastern Conference.
The Baltimore Orioles selected Yastrzemski in the 14th round of the 2013 MLB Draft, and he signed. He opened his professional career with the Aberdeen IronBirds of the Low-A New York-Penn League, where he earned mid-season All-Star honors. Promotions to Delmarva, Frederick, Bowie, and Norfolk followed over the next several seasons, with a 2014 campaign that saw him lead all of Minor League Baseball in triples.
After injury and recovery limited his 2017 season, Yastrzemski returned to Norfolk in 2018 and was invited to Orioles spring training as a non-roster player in 2019. On March 22, 2019, the Orioles traded him to the San Francisco Giants for minor league pitcher Tyler Herb, opening the door to the major leagues.
Mike Yastrzemski Career
Early Career (2013-2018)
Yastrzemski spent his first six professional seasons in the Baltimore Orioles organization, moving steadily through the lower levels of the minors. His 2014 year stood out: between Frederick and Bowie, he combined to bat .288 with 14 home runs, 18 stolen bases, and 18 triples, leading all of Minor League Baseball in triples. He was also named an MiLB Orioles organization All-Star.
He split 2016 between Bowie and Norfolk, then underwent surgery after that season and was not healthy at the start of 2017. He returned to Norfolk in 2018 and was once again an MiLB Orioles organization All-Star, setting up his first taste of major league camp the following spring.
San Francisco Giants Era (2019-2025)
The Giants promoted Yastrzemski on May 25, 2019, and he made his debut that day against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He collected his first major league hit the next day and launched his first career home run on May 31 against his former organization, the Baltimore Orioles. On August 16, 2019, he hit three home runs at Chase Field, including a game-winning shot in the 11th inning against Arizona. He finished his rookie year with 21 home runs, tying Kevin Pillar for the team lead, and became the first Giants rookie since Dave Kingman in 1972 to reach 20 home runs.
In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Yastrzemski batted .297/.400/.568 with 10 home runs and a team-leading 35 RBIs. He led the National League in triples with four, won the Willie Mac Award as the Giants’ most inspirational player, and earned All-MLB Second Team honors.
On June 15, 2021, at Oracle Park, Yastrzemski hit his first career grand slam into McCovey Cove for a “Splash Hit” off Humberto Castellanos, turning an 8-5 deficit into a 9-8 win over Arizona. He batted .224/.311/.457 with 25 home runs that year and led the National League in range factor per nine innings in right field for the second straight season, finishing as a Gold Glove finalist. He later signed one-year deals covering 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 with the Giants.
Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves Era (2025-Present)
On July 31, 2025, the Giants traded Yastrzemski to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Yunior Marte. In 50 appearances with Kansas City, he batted .237/.339/.500 with nine home runs, 18 RBIs, and one stolen base, giving him a strong second half after a quieter stretch in San Francisco.
On December 10, 2025, Yastrzemski signed a two-year contract with the Atlanta Braves worth up to $23 million. The deal marked a return to the franchise that had once drafted his father, and positioned him as a veteran right-handed bat in Atlanta’s outfield mix.
Notable Events and Milestones
On September 17, 2019, Yastrzemski hit his 20th home run in his first game at Fenway Park, where his grandfather spent his entire 23-year MLB career. On September 1, 2024, he hit his 100th career home run against the Miami Marlins, joining his grandfather as only the fourth grandfather-grandson duo in major league history to each reach 100 career homers.
Mike Yastrzemski Career Wins
Across his major league career, Mike Yastrzemski has established himself as a reliable run producer, drawing walks, hitting for power, and posting some of the strongest right-field range factors in the National League. His best all-around season came in 2020, when he earned All-MLB Second Team honors.
San Francisco Giants Highlights
Yastrzemski played seven seasons for the San Francisco Giants from 2019 through 2025, providing middle-of-the-order production and Gold Glove-caliber defense in right field. His 21-homer rookie season in 2019 and his All-MLB campaign in 2020 stood out, while his 2021 grand slam into McCovey Cove and his 100th career home run in 2024 gave Giants fans signature moments at Oracle Park.
Other Wins and Performances
In 50 games with the Kansas City Royals after a July 31, 2025 trade, Yastrzemski batted .237/.339/.500 with nine home runs, offering the Royals a steadying veteran presence down the stretch.
Mike Yastrzemski Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Yastrzemski grew up in a baseball family in Andover, Massachusetts. His late father, Carl Yastrzemski Jr., played college baseball at Florida State and spent five seasons in the Atlanta Braves minor league system from 1984 to 1988. His mother is Anne-Marie Yastrzemski. His grandfather, Carl Yastrzemski, is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and played 23 seasons for the Boston Red Sox, and the elder Carl began working with Mike on his hitting during his freshman year of high school.
Personal Life
Yastrzemski met his wife, Paige (née Cahill), while attending Vanderbilt University, and the couple married in November 2018. They have two children, a daughter and a son, and make their home in Andover, Massachusetts. He goes by the nickname “Yaz,” a shortened form of his family’s last name.
2025 Season Performance
Mike Yastrzemski opened 2025 with the San Francisco Giants on a one-year, $9.25 million contract, avoiding salary arbitration. In 96 games with San Francisco, he batted .231/.330/.355 with eight home runs, 28 RBIs, and six stolen bases, providing steady defense in right field before the trade deadline.
On July 31, 2025, the Giants sent him to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Yunior Marte. Yastrzemski responded with one of his most productive stretches of the season, batting .237/.339/.500 with nine home runs and 18 RBIs over 50 appearances to help bolster the Royals’ outfield.
His 2025 performance was strong enough to draw free-agent interest, and on December 10, 2025, he signed a two-year, $23 million contract with the Atlanta Braves. The deal gave the Braves a veteran right-handed bat with postseason experience and gave Yastrzemski a return to the organization that had once drafted his father.
