Washington Nationals outfielder/first baseman Juan Yepez has had quite the run since being called up to the majors on July 5, namely a 13-game hitting streak. Yepez, 26, extended the streak on Sunday at home against the Cincinnati Reds, as he hit a double with a runner on base before scoring on a Harold Ramírez RBI knock in the bottom of the third inning.
Nationals’ Juan Yepez on 13-Game Hitting Streak
During his 13-game run with the Nationals, the Venezuela native has slashed .367/.436/..571 with 18 total hits. He has also had an extra-base hit in eight of those contests, including seven doubles and a three-run home run.
His first homer with Washington came on Friday against the Reds, launching a 366-foot homer to deep left field to give Washington three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
that’s my cleanup hitter ? pic.twitter.com/LmPJ5lSTTm
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 20, 2024
In the Nationals’ three-game sweep of Cincinnati, Yepez finished with four hits, a double, a home run, three RBI, and three runs.
Just before the All-Star break, Washington played three games on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers, where Yepez had two hits in each of those contests, finishing with six total hits in the series.
Yepez’s Professional Beginnings
At age 16, Yepez signed with the Atlanta Braves as an international free agent in July 2014. He spent the next two years developing in the franchise’s farm system. He began his professional career with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Braves and the Danville Braves of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, where he batted .299 with four home runs and 31 RBI in 59 games for both teams. By 2016, he was with the Rome Braves of the Single-A South Atlantic League.
In May 2017, Atlanta traded Yepez to the St. Louis Cardinals, and he played in the team’s minor league system for the next five years. The outfielder/first baseman had experience with the Peoria Chiefs of the Single-A Midwest League, the Palm Beach Cardinals of the High-A Florida State League, the Springfield Cardinals of the Double-A Texas League, and the Memphis Redbirds of Triple-A East.
Yepez’s MLB Career Before the Nationals
The Cardinals promoted Yepez to the major league roster on May 3, 2022, and he made his MLB debut a day later. Over his two-year tenure with St. Louis, he had 12 home runs in 74 games during the 2022 season, along with two more homers in 28 games in the 2023 season.
Yepez enjoyed a couple of notable moments in 2022. He hit two doubles against the Kansas City Royals in his major league debut, becoming the first player in Cardinals history to hit two doubles in their first game. Then, on July 2 against the Philadelphia Phillies, he hit the third of a record-tying four consecutive home runs between teammates, the 11th such occurrence in MLB history.
The Nationals signed Yepez to a minor-league contract on December 6, 2023. He spent 74 games with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, where he batted .263/.357/.438 with 11 home runs and 40 RBI before his callup.
What Yepez’s Hot Streak Means for the Future
Washington has needed some effective hitting from a first baseman after a disappointing season from Joey Meneses, who was batting .231 with only three home runs before being optioned to Triple-A Rochester on July 4.
Even if his hitting streak ends at a certain point, these 13 games have shown that Yepez will continue to make a difference in a lineup that includes key players like CJ Abrams and James Wood.
Photo Credit: © Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
