New York Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes was drafted by the Bombers in 2013.
From that year, until 2018 when he went to the Baltimore Orioles, he was a member of the Yankees’ organization.
He returned in 2019, went to the Seattle Mariners in 2020, and then found his way back to the Bronx last year.
It has been a long ride, but not necessarily a smooth one.
He was released by the Orioles in 2018, the worst team in MLB.
Then he couldn’t make the Mariners.
At one point, the Yankees organization, with the direction of pitching coach Matt Blake, understood what made Cortes unique and focused on his strengths.
Cortes has a unique fastball that cuts right before getting to the plate, avoiding the barrel.
He also improved his command and his secondary pitches.
And now, with a strong 2021 (2.90 ERA in 93 innings) and an even better start of the 2022 campaign (1.41 ERA in 32 frames, with 42 strikeouts) he has developed into the Yankees’ ace.
He Is Living The Dream!
What else can he ask for?
The long road through the minor leagues, from failure to failure, gave him the strength and determination to be the best.
“I’m just living the dream. Everything else is just an extra!” he tweeted.
I’m just living the dream. Everything else is just an extra !
— Nestor Cortes (@Cortes_1210) May 10, 2022
He is charismatic, he has a one-of-a-kind delivery and pitching style, and he dominates without a plus, or high-velocity fastball.
People in New York love “Nasty Nestor”, and he loves them back.
Professionally, he is enjoying his best moment as a major leaguer.
He might as well enjoy it, because there might not be a more deserving guy.
He is now a top pitcher in MLB and is the proof that you should pursue your dreams, no matter how many times you are down.
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