The swagger in the outfield. The rifle shot throw to nab a baserunner. The name Cespedes on the back of the jersey.
Looks awfully familiar…
Yoelkis Cespedes, the 19-year-old half-brother of Mets star slugger Yoenis Cespedes, marked his debut in the Caribbean Series on Wednesday by making a highlight-reel tumbling catch in right field and cannon relay to first — with that well-known righty release — to double off the runner.
“They compare me to my brother, and that motivates me to be a better player,” Yoelkis said, according to MLB.com. “He always calls me to tell me what I’m doing right or wrong.”
The teenage Cespedes hasn’t yet filled out to resemble his older brother — he’s listed at 5-foot-9 and 187 pounds; Yoenis at 5-foot-10 and 220 (with $110 million stuffing his pockets) — and hasn’t developed that no-doubt, flip-the-bat home run power.
But Cuban veteran outfielder Alfredo Despaigne said, “He has some abilities and potential that’s incredible. He’s fast and has a good arm.”
In addition to the wow-level defense, Yoelkis went 1-for-4 with a run scored as Cuba’s Granma defeated the Dominican Republic’s Tigres de Licey, 4-0, in Culiacan, Mexico.
“As of now, I’ve never thought of leaving my country,” Yoelkis said, likely because he has to say that. “I only think about leaving the country only when it’s with the Cuban team.”
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