Yoenis Cespedes Milanes is a professional baseball outfielder who has made a name in Major League Baseball (MLB) since his debut in 2012.
Born and raised in Cuba, Céspedes has had an impressive journey to the big leagues.
He played for the Cuban national team and Alazanes de Granma in the Cuban National Series. He later defected from Cuba to sign with the Oakland Athletics as a free agent.
Throughout his career, Yoenis has played for several MLB teams, including the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers & New York Mets. He is currently an unrestricted free agent.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the life and career of this talented outfielder.
Before that, have a look at some of the quick facts about him!
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Yoenis Cespedes Milanes |
| Birth Date | October 18, 1985 |
| Birth Place | Campechuela, Granma Province, Cuba |
| Nickname | La Potencia and El Talento |
| Age | 38 Years Old |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | Cuban |
| Ethnicity | African-Cuban |
| Father | Cresencio Cespedes |
| Mother | Estela Milanés |
| Siblings | Yoelqui Cespedes |
| Horoscope | Libra |
| Chinese Zodiac | Ox |
| Height | 5 feet 11 inches/1.80 m/180 cm |
| Weight | 225 pounds |
| Build | Athletic |
| Profession | Baseball player, Coach |
| Playing Position | Outfielder |
| Batting Average | .273 |
| Home Runs | 165 |
| Runs Batted in | 528 |
| Last MLB Appearance | August 1, 2020, for the New York Mets |
| MLB debut | March 28, 2012, for the Oakland Athletics |
| Bats | Right |
| Throws | Right |
| Career Highlights |
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| Marital Status | Not Married |
| Relationship Status | Single |
| Children | One Son |
| Net Worth | $60 Million |
| Social Media | |
| Last Update | April 2024 |
Early Life & Family
Yoenis Cespedes was born on October 18, 1985, in Campechuela, Granma Province, Cuba.
His mother, Estela Milanés, was a softball pitcher who represented Cuba at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Similarly, his father, Cresencio Cespedes, was a former Cuban League catcher but separated from Milanés when Yoenis was only one year old.
Yeonis has a half-brother who is also a baseball player.
Brother, Yoelqui Cespedes
Yoelqui Cespedes, the half-brother of Yoenis Cespedes, is also a baseball player like Yeolqui.
Yoelqui played for the Birmingham Barons of Double-A South in 2022 and showed off his skills by hitting 17 home runs and 59 RBIs in 119 games.
Likewise, in 2021, he was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game. Currently, Yeolqui is a professional outfielder for the Chicago White Sox organization.
The player is considered a potential fourth outfielder or a platoon player at the major league level.
Career
Yoenis Cespedes is a Cuban-born baseball player with a long and impressive career. He began his career playing for the Cuban national team, where he won multiple gold medals.
Cespedes defected from Cuba in 2011 and signed with the Oakland Athletics, where he quickly made a name for himself as an All-Star player.
He went on to play for the Boston Red Sox, the Detroit Tigers, and the New York Mets, earning additional accolades such as the Silver Slugger Award and the Gold Glove Award.
Cespedes is also known for his impressive performance in the Home Run Derby, which he won in 2013, hitting 32 home runs.
Despite his success on the field, Cespedes has battled injuries throughout his career, causing him to miss significant playing time in recent years.
Career Highlights & Awards
- 2x All-Star (2016, 2014)
- Gold Glove Award (2015)
- Silver Slugger Award (2016)
- Silver medal in the Baseball World Cup (2009)
- Gold medal in the Intercontinental Cup (2010)
- Gold medal in the Pan American Games (2007)
- Gold medal in the World University Baseball Championship (2010)
Injuries
Yoenis Cespedes has unfortunately been plagued with injuries throughout his career.
In July 2014, he suffered a hamstring injury while running against the Detroit Tigers, causing him to miss some games.
The player then experienced a strained right quad in July and August 2016, which resulted in him missing 21 games.
The following year, he strained his right hamstring and missed 35 games. However, his most serious injury came in 2019, when he fractured his right ankle in a strange incident involving a wild boar on his ranch in Florida.
As a result, Yeonis missed the entire 2019 season. Additionally, in 2018, Cespedes strained his right hip and missed 67 games.
He underwent surgery on both heels that same year to remove bone calcifications that had been bothering him for some time.
Age & Body Measurements
Yoenis Cespedes was born on October 18, 1985, which makes him 38 years old.
Yeonis bats and throws right-handed, and his position is left fielder. His height is 1.80 m, and he weighs around 225 pounds.
Wife & Kids
Yoenis Cespedes is a father to a son named Yoenis Céspedes Jr., who lives in Cuba with his mother.
The player has expressed his desire to bring his son to the States and reunite with him, but details about his son’s mother have not been publicly revealed.
In the past, Cespedes had a girlfriend named Sandra Quesada, a Latin-American woman he had been dating since at least 2015.
She frequently accompanied him to games and events and supported him on social media. However, there is no recent mention of her in Céspedes’ social media posts, and the current status of their relationship is unknown.
Contract & Net Worth
Yoenis Cespedes has a net worth of $60 million as of April 2024. He has earned a total of $130 million in salary in his nine years in MLB.
He also has endorsement deals with brands like Franklin Sports, New Balance, Panini, and Wilson Sporting Goods.
Yoenis Céspedes has signed two major contracts in his MLB career:
- In 2012, he signed a four-year, $36 million contract with the Oakland Athletics as a free agent after defecting from Cuba.
- In 2016, he signed a four-year, $110 million contract with the New York Mets as a free agent after opting out of his previous three-year, $75 million deal with the same team.
Yeonis suffered a significant salary reduction in 2019 after an ankle injury at his ranch. He is currently an unrestricted free agent.
Interesting Facts
- Yoenis Cespedes has two nicknames: La Potencia and El Talento. They translate to The Power and The Talent in English. He got these nicknames in Cuba.
- He owns a ranch in Florida, where he raises horses, pigs, chickens, and other animals. He also had a wild boar incident that caused him to fracture his ankle in 2019.
- Yeonis has a collection of exotic cars. Among his prized possessions are a custom 2016 Ford F-250, two custom Polaris Slingshots, a custom Lamborghini Aventador, an Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, and a custom Jeep Wrangler. The total worth of his collection is nearly $1 million.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
What team does Yeonis play for now?
Yeonis Cespedes is currently an unrestricted free agent. He last played for the New York Mets in 2020.
How did Yeonis get the nickname La Potencia?
The player got the nickname from former teammate Coco Crisp, who gave him a shirt with the word “potencia” (Spanish for power).
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