Former Mudcats Pitcher Jordan Yamamoto Makes Major League Debut

ZEBULON, N.C. - Former Carolina Mudcats pitcher Jordan Yamamoto made his Major League debut last night for the Miami Marlins in Miami versus the St. Louis Cardinals. Yamamoto pitched for the Mudcats during the 2017 season and is the fourth player from that team to receive a major league promotion after playing for the Mudcats.

The Marlins brought up Yamamoto from Double-A Jacksonville for last night's start in Miami versus the St. Louis Cardinals. The 23-year-old Yamamoto earned the win in his debut after pitching through seven scoreless innings with five strikeouts, two walks and just three hits allowed while leading the Marlins to a 9-0 victory. Yamamoto began his victorious debut with seven consecutive outs before walking a batter with out one in the third. He also pitched through the first three innings before giving up a hit to start the fourth. Yamamoto went on to allow two hits in the fourth and one in the fifth, but retired eight of the next nine he faced while getting through the seventh on 95 pitches (61 strikes).
The Marlins acquired Yamamoto via trade from the Milwaukee Brewers following his 2017 season with Carolina. That trade sent reigning National League MVP Christian Yelich to the Brewers and sent prospects Lewis Brinson, Isan Díaz, Monte Harrison and Yamamoto to the Marlins. Diaz, Harrison and Yamamoto were all teammates with the Mudcats during the 2017 season. 
The Brewers originally selected Yamamoto in the 12th round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Saint Louis (High) School in Honolulu. Since pitching for the Mudcats in 2017, the Honolulu, Hawaii native has spent parts of the last two seasons with Double-A Jacksonville while also pitching briefly in 2018 with the GCL Marlins and Low-A Jupiter while coming back from an injury.
Yamamoto finished his 2017 season with the Mudcats at 9-4 with a 2.51 ERA, .223 average against and 113 strikeouts over 111.0 innings pitched. He ended up leading Carolina League pitchers with at least 110.0 innings pitched in earned run average that season, but did not reach the minimum number of innings (112.0) required to officially qualify for the league's ERA title. He also finished that 2017 season going 4-1 with a 0.27 ERA over his last five starts (9.27 SO/9ip, .176 AVG) and ended the year with a streak of 21.1 consecutive scoreless innings over his final four appearances.
Yamamoto is the third former Mudcats player to receive a promotion to the majors in 2019 along with 2016 Mudcat Dylan Moore and 2018 Mudcat Keston Hiura. Moore made his major league debut with the Seattle Mariners in Japan versus the Oakland Athletics on March 28, 2019. Hiura made his debut with the Brewers on May 14, 2019 in Philadelphia versus the Phillies where he went 2-for-3 with a walk and two singles.
Hiura was also one of three former Mudcats players to debut with the Brewers since Carolina became Milwaukee's Class-A Advanced affiliate before the 2017 season. Pitchers Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta, who both played for the Mudcats during the 2017 season, made their Major League debuts with Milwaukee last season.
The Carolina Mudcats are the proud Carolina League, Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. First established in 1991, the two-time Southern League Champion Mudcats are entering their 29th consecutive season of baseball at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C. The Mudcats are owned and operated by the Milwaukee Brewers.
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