Full Name : Jorge Rafael Posada Villeta
Born : August 17, 1971
Hometown : Santurce, Puerto Rico
Height : 6' 2
Weight : 205 lbs
Bats : Switch
Throws : Right
Major League Baseball debut : September 4, 1995 for the New York Yankees
Family : wife, Laura; son, Jorge Jr.; daughter, Paulina
Primary Position : Catcher
Not too many players go down in history to have a large impact with just one organization. Jorge Posada has easily defied that generalization. Born on August 17, 1971 in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Posada is one of the few foreign-born athletes who have been able to establish a noteworthy reputation in the big leagues. Recognized for his ability to hit from both sides of the plate, Posada combines defensive excellence with a profound ability to communicate with his pitchers. Any team would consider him a valuable asset, and the New York Yankees have been fortunate enough to have him throughout his whole career.
Throughout his childhood, Posada was recognized for his athleticism, which was evident in his basketball, volleyball, baseball, and track performances at Alejandro High School. Surprisingly, Jorge was an all-star shortstop throughout most of his high school career. Many viewed him as a young middle infielder, and scouts began to hear of his name after he put up stellar numbers at Calhoun Community College. In addition to his exceptional ability on the field, Jorge showed that he could get it done in the classroom when he was named class valedictorian in 1991.
As for his professional career, Jorge experienced a bizarre series of events that forced him to convert to a catcher. After suffering from a collision that broke his left leg and dislocated his ankle, Posada realized that he no longer had the range to maneuver in the infield. As a result, he transitioned to the catcher position so that he could continue to pursue his dream as a baseball athlete. He debuted with the New York Yankees in 1995, but it wasn't until 1997 that he saw any significant playing time. His durability was soon evident when he became the everyday catcher for the Yankees in 1998. That year, Posada put up an astounding on-base percentage of .350, thus demonstrating his patience at the plate. Yankee fans were excited to have a skillful catcher behind the plate who could also put up respectable offensive numbers.
The 2000 season definitely marked a milestone in Jorge's career. Aside from batting .287, belting 28 homers, and driving in 86 RBI's, Posada won his first Silver Slugger Award and was selected to play on the American League All-Star Team for the first time in his career. He continued to demonstrate that he was capable of doing whatever he needed to get one base, as his final on-base percentage that year was a whopping .417. His success did not end there; Jorge continued to pose a threat at the plate and would go on to win the Silver Slugger Award for the next three consecutive seasons (2001, 2002, and 2003). Fans across the country knew of his impact, and this became evident when he was named the starter for the American League All-Star team in both 2002 and 2003. His switch-hitting presence at the plate (in addition to his leadership role as the team's everyday catcher) was a vital key to the Yankees success. Posada has helped lead the Yankees to four World Series Championships (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000), and his impact with the New York organization will always be remembered by Yankee fans.
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