Yohel Pozo is a Venezuelan catcher from Maracaibo who reached the big leagues with the Oakland Athletics on August 13, 2021. Now 29, he’s still working to lock down a regular roster spot — most recently splitting time between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Baltimore Orioles in 2026, with a combined .256 batting average, 1 home run, and 7 RBI on the season.
Quick Facts
- Full name: Yohel Pozo
- Position: Catcher
- Team: Baltimore Orioles
- Number: 79
- Bats / Throws: Right / Right
- Height / Weight: 5’11» / 201 lbs
- Born: June 14, 1997 — Maracaibo, Venezuela 🇻🇪
- MLB Debut: August 13, 2021
Background
Pozo came up through Oakland’s minor-league system, where the organization developed him with a clear identity in mind: a catcher who earns his keep behind the plate. Blocking balls in the dirt, managing a pitching staff, and controlling the running game — that’s where his value lives. The bat has always been secondary, and his path through multiple organizations reflects how competitive the catcher market is in today’s MLB.
Professional Career
After his 2021 debut with the A’s, Pozo has bounced around looking for consistent playing time. In 2026, the split-team season told two very different offensive stories. With St. Louis, he hit .242 with a .515 OPS and 5 RBI. With Baltimore, he turned it up — .300 average and an .873 OPS in limited action. The overall 2026 line: .256 AVG, 1 HR, 7 RBI, .599 OPS.
The numbers aren’t going to turn heads, but that’s not really the point for a catcher in his role. Defense and pitch-calling keep him on rosters; the bat just needs to stay out of the way.
2026 Stats at a Glance
- Overall: .256 AVG | 1 HR | 7 RBI | 2 R | .599 OPS | 0 SB
- Baltimore Orioles: .300 AVG | 1 HR | 2 RBI | 2 R | .873 OPS | 0 SB
- St. Louis Cardinals: .242 AVG | 0 HR | 5 RBI | 0 R | .515 OPS | 0 SB
Awards and Recognition
Pozo hasn’t collected individual hardware — no Gold Gloves, no All-Star nods, no MVP votes. His career has been about building credibility as a reliable defensive option, not chasing accolades. In a position where trust is everything, that’s not nothing.
Worth Knowing
Pozo is a good example of the modern backup catcher’s reality: you have to bring defensive value on day one, or you won’t get a day two. His journey through multiple clubs in a short time isn’t a knock on him — it’s just the math of a position where teams are always hunting for the right glove behind the plate. The Maracaibo native keeps showing up, and that counts for something.
