Francisco Cervelli
- New York Yankees (2008 -present)
- World Series Champion in 2009
Francisco Cervelli ( born March 6, 1986 in Valencia, Venezuela) is a Venezuelan baseball player in Major League. He currently plays for the New York Yankees as a catcher.
Biography
Venezuela
Cervelli played in Venezuela on the positions of shortstop and second baseman, and occasionally as a pitcher. In 2003 he was commissioned by the New York Yankees as an international free agent on the condition under contract to play as a catcher.
Minor Leagues
In the Minor Leagues Cervelli played in the Yankees farm system. In 2007, he came to a batting average of .279 with an on- base percentage of .387 and two home runs for the A team Tampa Yankees. The 2008 season began with an injury: In Spring Training Cervelli broke in the attempt to block home plate, the right wrist. Thus his season start was delayed to June 2008. He finished the minor league season at Double-A Trenton Thunder team with a batting average of .308. At the same club he began the 2009 season. Magazine Baseball America drew Cervelli in four consecutive seasons (2006-2009 ) as the best defensive catcher of the Yankees.
Major League
After completion of the Minor League season 2008 Cervelli was appointed by the Yankees in the Major League. His first game in the MLB, he completed 18 September 2008 as a defensive replacement catcher. After he started the 2009 season at Trenton Thunder, he was appointed on 5 May 2009 after an injury of the Yankee catcher Jorge Posada again in the Major League. His first start as a catcher he had on May 7, 2009, after also the second catcher of the Yankees, Jose Molina had suffered an injury. After returning from the injured list Molinas Cervelli was sent in July 2009 to the Triple -A team Scranton / Wilkes -Barre Yankees, but returned in September 2009 back to the Yankees.
In the 2010 season, Cervelli heard as a substitute catcher Jorge Posada to the 25-man roster of the Yankees. Due to an injury Posadas he came in so far 88 games for use.
World Baseball Classic
In the World Baseball Classic 2009 played Cervelli, whose father was born in Italy, for the Italian team.