James Allin Yacabonis (born March 21, 1992) is an American professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
for the
Diablos Rojos del México
The Diablos Rojos del Mexico (English: Mexico Red Devils) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Mexico City, Mexico. The team was founded in 1940 by Salvador Lutteroth and Ernesto Carmona. The Diablos Rojos play their ho ...
of the
Mexican League
The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country.
The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...
. He has previously played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) for the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...
,
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
,
Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League East, East Division. The ...
,
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...
, and
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
.
Early life and education
Yacabonis is the son of Maria and James Yacabonis. His grandfather played professional baseball in
Cuba
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
.
Born in
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Matawan, New Jersey
Matawan () is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. A historic community located near the Raritan Bay in the much larger Raritan River, Raritan Valley region, Raritan ...
Holmdel, New Jersey
Holmdel is a township in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Located near Raritan Bay in the Raritan Valley Region, the township is a regional commercial hub of Central Jersey, home to Bell Labs and PNC Bank Arts Center, and a ...
Lincroft, New Jersey
Lincroft is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States.Shore Conference, earning all-division and all-county recognition.
Yacabonis went on to attend
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University (SJU or St. Joe's) is a Private university, private Jesuits, Jesuit university in Philadelphia, Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The university was founded by the Jesuits, Society of J ...
in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, where he pitched for the
Saint Joseph's Hawks
The Saint Joseph's Hawks are the athletic teams that represent Saint Joseph's University of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Hawks compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference a ...
. He appeared in 60 games (all in relief) from 2011 to 2013, compiling a career 5–6 record with a 3.63 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 84.1 innings pitched. He set a then-school record with 27 appearances as a junior in 2013 and led the team in saves.
Career
Baltimore Orioles
The
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...
selected Yacabonis in the 13th round of the
2013 Major League Baseball draft
The 2013 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2013. The first two rounds were broadcast from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Each team received one selection per round, going in reverse order of ...
as the 399th pick overall. He signed and spent 2013 with the
Aberdeen IronBirds
The Aberdeen IronBirds are a Minor League Baseball team based in the city of Aberdeen in Harford County, Maryland. They are the High-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles and compete in the South Atlantic League. They were previously members of th ...
where he was 3–1 with a 1.52 ERA in 29.2 relief innings pitched. In 2014, he pitched for the
Delmarva Shorebirds
The Delmarva Shorebirds are a Minor League Baseball team based in Salisbury, Maryland. They are members of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Their home games are played at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. The Shor ...
and
Frederick Keys
The Frederick Keys are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. The Keys are based in Frederick, Maryland. The franchise is named for the "Star-Spangled Banner" writer Francis Scott Key, a native of Frederick County. A new team ...
where he compiled a 1–5 record and 5.03 ERA in 38 games pitched out of the bullpen, and in 2015, he returned to Frederick where he posted a 3–3 record, 4.02 ERA, and 1.71 WHIP in 43 games pitched. Yacabonis spent 2016 with both Frederick and the
Bowie Baysox
The Chesapeake Baysox are a Minor League Baseball team located in Bowie, Maryland. They are the Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and play in the Eastern League. Their home ballpark is Prince George's Stadium. From 1993 to 2024, th ...
where he was 2–4 with a 2.64 ERA in 50 relief appearances, holding hitters to a .216
batting average against
In baseball statistics, batting average against (denoted by BAA or AVG), also known as opponents' batting average (denoted by OBA), is a statistic that measures a pitcher's ability to prevent hits during official at bats. It can alternatively be ...
. He was promoted to the
Norfolk Tides
The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's loc ...
to begin 2017.
2017
Yacabonis was called up to the majors for the first time on June 11, 2017. As he had difficulty finding the strike zone in his first three June 2017 appearances with the Orioles, he was sent back to Norfolk — where as closer he turned in a 0.93 ERA and 0.99 WHIP. He was recalled from Norfolk on July 2, 2017, likely to work in middle relief during his second call-up for the Orioles. He attributes his success in 2017 to his command of a certain pitch. As he says:
In his first up after being called back from Norfolk, Yacabonis shut down the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
on July 3, 2017, for 3.1 innings. He allowed just one run on three hits, striking out two batters. Of his contribution in the game after being sent back down, Showalter said, ". . Yac was the key. . . we sent him down to get stretched out a little bit and work on some things, shorten up the breaking ball a little bit, and he presented himself well."
Yacabonis knocked in the only Orioles' run in the 8–1 loss by grounding out to second base, which scored
Rubén Tejada
Rubén Darío Tejada (born October 27, 1989) is a Panamanian professional baseball shortstop for the Olmecas de Tabasco of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, San ...
from third in the third inning. He was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk the next day. Yacabonis was recalled September 1, 2017, coming in that day in a scoreless game against the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...
in the top of 13th inning. He shut down the side to get his first major league win.
2018
After a strong spring training for Yacabonis, where he posted a 3.38 ERA over eight innings, the Orioles optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk March 22, 2018, with the possible intent of developing him into a starting pitcher. Yacabonis had refined his mechanics to take stress off his throwing shoulder. Yacabonis was called up from Triple-A Norfolk to cover the Orioles bullpen April 7, 2018, after the previous night's 14-inning game with the Yankees required nine innings of relief pitching. He was sent back down to Triple-A Norfolk on April 8, 2018, with left-handed pitcher
Tanner Scott
Tanner Alexander Scott (born July 22, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Baltimore Orioles, Miami Marlins, and San Diego Padres. H ...
being called up from there. Yacabonis gave up three earned runs in one inning against the Yankees.
Yacabonis was called up from Triple-A Norfolk prior to a May 11 game against Tampa Bay to provide another bullpen arm for the four-game series. After being sent down again to work on his command, he was recalled on June 27 and made his first
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
career start a day later against the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
. Through seven interim starts with disruption in Norfolk, Yacabonis had posted a 1.99 ERA with a 0.884 WHIP. He had a 3.14 ERA overall in Triple-A through that point in the season. He was called up by the Orioles later in the season. He finished the season with a 0–2 record in seven starts (12 games).
2019
In 2019 for the Orioles, Yacabonis pitched to a 1–2 record and a 6.80 ERA over 29 games. Yacabonis was designated for assignment by the Orioles on August 14, 2019. He became a free agent following the season on November 4.
San Diego Padres
On December 19, 2019, Yacabonis signed a minor league deal with the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. ...
. Yacabonis did not play in a game for the Padres in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
.
Seattle Mariners
On August 19, 2020, Yacabonis was traded to the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
in exchange for cash considerations. On September 9, Yacabonis was selected to the active roster. Yacabonis was designated for assignment by the Mariners on September 15. He elected free agency on October 14, 2020. On December 29, 2020, Yacabonis re-signed with the Mariners organization on a minor league contract. After appearing in 24 games for the Triple-A
Tacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, ...
, posting a 1.72 ERA with 29 strikeouts, Yacabonis had his contract selected on August 28, 2021, by the Mariners. On August 30, Yacabonis was designated for assignment by the Mariners without making an appearance. On September 2, Yacabonis cleared waivers and was assigned outright to Triple-A Tacoma. On October 13, Yacabonis elected free agency.
Miami Marlins
On March 12, 2022, Yacabonis signed a minor league contract with the
Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League East, East Division. The ...
. On June 15, the Marlins selected Yacabonis' contract. He was designated for assignment on July 30, 2022.
Tampa Bay Rays
On August 4, 2022, the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...
claimed Yacabonis off waivers from the Marlins. In 5 appearances, he struggled to an 11.57 ERA with 6 strikeouts in innings pitched. On August 18, Yacabonis was designated for assignment. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple–A
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened ...
on August 20. In eight games for Durham, he registered a 3.00 ERA with 8 strikeouts. On October 4, Yacabonis was selected back to the active roster after
Kevin Herget
Kevin R. Herget (born April 3, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, and New York Met ...
was designated for assignment. On November 10, Yacabonis was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple–A. He elected free agency the same day.
New York Mets
On December 1, 2022, Yacabonis signed a minor league deal with the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
. He was assigned to the Triple-A
Syracuse Mets
The Syracuse Mets are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets. They are located in Syracuse, New York, and play their home games at NBT Bank Stadium, which ope ...
to begin the 2023 season. He made 4 scoreless appearances for Syracuse before having his contract selected to the active roster on April 15, 2023. Yacabonis pitched in 5 games for the Mets, logging a 2–1 record and 9.00 ERA with 8 strikeouts in 9.0 innings of work. On May 9, he was placed on the injured list with a left quad strain. On May 30, Yacabonis was activated from the injured list and subsequently
designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must, within seven days, return the pla ...
. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Syracuse on June 2. On August 5, Yacabonis was selected back to the major league roster. After allowing one run in innings, he was designated for assignment again on August 12. Yacabonis again cleared waivers and was sent outright to Syracuse on August 14. The following day, Yacabonis declined the assignment and instead elected free agency.
Long Island Ducks
On September 5, 2023, Yacabonis signed with the
Long Island Ducks
The Long Island Ducks are an American professional minor league baseball team based on Long Island in Central Islip, New York. The Ducks compete in the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), an independent "par ...
of the
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and the headquarters are l ...
. In 4 appearances for Long Island, Yacabonis posted a 9.00 ERA with 4 strikeouts across 4 innings pitched.
Diablos Rojos del México
On April 11, 2024, Yacabonis signed with the
Diablos Rojos del México
The Diablos Rojos del Mexico (English: Mexico Red Devils) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Mexico City, Mexico. The team was founded in 1940 by Salvador Lutteroth and Ernesto Carmona. The Diablos Rojos play their ho ...
of the
Mexican League
The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country.
The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...
. In 38 relief appearances during the 2024 season, he compiled a 4–1 record with a 4.60 ERA and 38 strikeouts over 43 innings pitched.
Yacabonis contributed to the Diablos' successful campaign, culminating in the team's 17th league championship title after sweeping the
Sultanes de Monterrey
The Sultanes de Monterrey (English: Monterrey Sultans) are a professional baseball club in the Mexican League (LMB) based in Monterrey, Mexico. Established in 1939 as Carta Blanca, the Sultanes have won ten LMB titles, most recently in 2018. Fro ...
in the
Serie del Rey
The Serie del Rey () is the annual championship series of the Mexican Baseball League (LMB), held since . The champions from the league's two divisions, the North and South Zones, compete in a best-of-seven series, with the winner being awarded ...
.
Following the season, Yacabonis became a free agent. He re-signed with the Diablos Rojos del México on May 21, 2025.
Player profile
Yacabonis is a right-handed pitcher known for a high-velocity fastball and a sharp-breaking slider, which have been the foundation of his success as a reliever. His fastball typically sits in the 94–96 mph range, with occasional spikes to 98 mph. He complements it with a mid-80s slider that generates swings and misses, particularly against right-handed hitters.
Early in his MLB career, Yacabonis experimented with developing a changeup and a two-seam fastball to increase his viability as a multi-inning reliever or spot starter. While his command was inconsistent at times, especially with runners on base, he has been praised for his work ethic and adaptability on the mound.
Yacabonis has largely served as a middle reliever in both Major League and international competition, occasionally stepping into high-leverage situations. His durability and ability to eat innings out of the bullpen have made him a valuable asset for teams seeking depth in their relief corps.