Career Timeline of Gary Sánchez: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Gary Sánchez made an impact.

Gary Sánchez is a professional baseball catcher currently playing for the Baltimore Orioles. He is originally from the Dominican Republic. Throughout his MLB career, he has played for several teams, including the New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, and Milwaukee Brewers. Sánchez is known for his power hitting and has been recognized as one of the top offensive catchers in the league during his peak years.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

July 2009: Signed with the New York Yankees

In July 2009, Gary Sánchez signed with the New York Yankees as an international free agent, receiving a $3 million signing bonus.

August 18, 2010: Promoted to Staten Island Yankees

On August 18, 2010, Gary Sánchez was promoted to the Staten Island Yankees of the Low-A New York–Penn League.

2011: Played for Charleston RiverDogs

In 2011, Gary Sánchez played for the Charleston RiverDogs of the Single-A South Atlantic League, before a finger injury ended his season.

2012: Promotion to Tampa Yankees

In 2012, Gary Sánchez began the season with Charleston and received a midseason promotion to the Tampa Yankees of the High-A Florida State League.

2013: Promotion to Trenton Thunder

In 2013, Gary Sánchez began the season with Tampa, and after batting .254 with 13 home runs and 61 RBIs, the Yankees promoted him to the Trenton Thunder of the Double-A Eastern League on August 3.

2015: All-Star Futures Game and Promotion to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

In 2015, Gary Sánchez began the season with Trenton and was chosen to represent the Yankees at the 2015 All-Star Futures Game. After the Futures Game, the Yankees promoted Sánchez to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders of the Triple-A International League.

2015: MLB Debut

In 2015, Gary Sánchez made his Major League Baseball debut.

2015: MLB Promotion and Debut

In 2015, after the conclusion of the RailRiders' season, the Yankees promoted Gary Sánchez to the major leagues, where he made his debut as a pinch hitter on October 3. He also played in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) and was named the Fall Stars Game Most Valuable Player.

August 2016: Rookie and Player of the Month

In August 2016, Gary Sánchez was named the American League's Rookie of the Month and Player of the Month.

2016: 2016 Season Performance

During the 2016 season, Gary Sánchez played in 53 games for the Yankees, achieving a .299 batting average, 20 home runs, and 42 RBIs. He also excelled defensively, showcasing the best average pop time to second base among major league catchers. He finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

2016: MLB Season and Achievements

In 2016, Gary Sánchez competed for a spot on the Yankees' Opening Day roster, but began the season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was called up to the majors several times, recording his first hit on August 3. He achieved several milestones, including his first home run on August 10 and being named AL Player of the Week twice. He was also named AL Player and Rookie of the Month in September.

2017: 2017 Season Performance and Silver Slugger Award

In 2017, Gary Sánchez finished the season with a .278 batting average, 33 home runs, and 90 RBIs. He received the Silver Slugger Award as the best hitting catcher in the American League.

2017: All-Star and Silver Slugger

In 2017, Gary Sánchez was named an All-Star and won a Silver Slugger award.

2018: 2018 Season and Shoulder Surgery

Gary Sánchez finished the 2018 season with a .186 batting average, 18 home runs, and 53 RBIs. Following the season, he underwent shoulder surgery.

April 7, 2019: Three Home Run Game

On April 7, 2019, Gary Sánchez hit 3 home runs in one game against the Baltimore Orioles.

April 27, 2019: First Career Grand Slam

On April 27, 2019, Gary Sánchez hit his first career grand slam against the San Francisco Giants.

May 19, 2019: First Career Triple

On May 19, 2019, Gary Sánchez hit his first career triple against the Tampa Bay Rays.

August 23, 2019: 100th Career Home Run

On August 23, 2019, Gary Sánchez hit his 100th career home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers, making him the fastest catcher and fastest player in American League history to reach this milestone.

September 3, 2019: Franchise Record Home Runs

On September 3, 2019, Gary Sánchez broke his own franchise record by hitting two home runs (number 33 and 34) in a winning effort against the Texas Rangers. He now has the two highest single-season home run totals ever for a Yankees catcher.

2019: Defensive Performance in 2019

In 2019, Gary Sanchez improved his passed balls, decreasing from a league-leading 18 in 2018 to 7. However, he led all major league catchers in errors committed, with 15.

2020: Previous season performance comparison

In 2021, Gary Sanchez had improvements in home runs and RBIs compared to the 2020 season.

April 3, 2021: Home Run in First Two Games

On April 3, 2021, Gary Sánchez became the tenth Yankees player and second Yankees catcher in franchise history to hit a home run in the first two games of the season, behind Elston Howard in 1963.

2021: 2021 Season Performance

In the 2021 season, Gary Sanchez hit .204 with 23 home runs and 54 RBIs. He was demoted to backup during the season.

March 13, 2022: Traded to Minnesota Twins

On March 13, 2022, Gary Sánchez, along with Gio Urshela, was traded by the Yankees to the Minnesota Twins for Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Ben Rortvedt.