Gio Urshela

Giovanny Urshela Salcedo is a renowned professional baseball player hailing from Colombia, renowned for his skill and strategy as a third baseman. Born on October 11, 1991, Urshela currently plays for the Atlanta Braves of the Major League Baseball (MLB). Before this, he left indelible marks at the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Angels, and Detroit Tigers.

Urshela’s MLB journey commenced with his debut for the Cleveland Indians back in 2015. It was as an international free agent that the Indians had signed him in July 2008. This led to the commencement of his professional baseball career in 2009, where he played for the Dominican Summer League Indians and the Arizona League Indians.

Urshela climbed the ranks rapidly, starting the 2014 season with Akron, then being promoted to the Columbus Clippers of the AAA International League. The Indians secured him within their 40-man roster as the 2014 season concluded. MLB.com acclaimed him as the Indians’ fourth-best prospect in 2015.

The 2015 season saw Urshela progress once more, being called up to the major leagues in June. He called attention to his prowess early by hitting his first single and home run in the same game against the Seattle Mariners a few days later. He spent 2016 keeping his skills sharp with Columbus and played winter baseball with Águilas del Zulia in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Here, he shared the field with future Yankees teammate Mike Tauchman.

Although Urshela opened the 2018 season on the disabled list, he bounced back after his rehab assignment concluded, going .225 in 453 plate appearances for Cleveland before being designated. Scouting his talent, the Toronto Blue Jays traded for Urshela in May 2018. After 19 games, Urshela found himself on the assignment list again due to season difficulties.

During August 2018, Urshela’s career made a sharp turn as he was traded to the New York Yankees for cash considerations. At this point, his dedication and effort started manifesting significantly. Phil Plantier, the RailRiders’ hitting coach, helped tweak his batting stance, enhancing his performance remarkably. With the Yankees, he stepped up as a valuable asset, specifically during the 2019 season, replacing Miguel Andújar after his shoulder labrum tear. This led to him hitting 25-for-71 (.352), and continuing to play for the Yankees throughout the year.

Urshela began the 2020 season with responsibility as the starting third baseman for the Yankees. Despite missing some games due to a groin injury, Urshela maintained a commendable .992 fielding percentage and achieved memorable firsts for the Yankees. His name was etched into history when he became the first Yankees’ third baseman to hit a postseason grand slam, contributing to the win against his former team, the Cleveland Indians, in the Wild Card Series.

Ushering in the year 2022, Urshela was traded off to the Minnesota Twins along with Gary Sánchez in exchange for Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Ben Rortvedt. Despite being a key player, Urshela’s time in Minnesota was short-lived as he moved to the Los Angeles Angels in November 2022 in exchange for minor league pitcher Alejandro Hidalgo. A saddening pelvic injury in June 2023, however, saw him miss the rest of the 2023 season.

Urshela’s baseball journey took another turn when he signed a one-year contract worth $1.5 million with the Detroit Tigers in February 2024. Here, he played 92 games before being released from their roster in August. However, Urshela remained undeterred, quickly signing a major league contract with the Atlanta Braves.

Urshela’s talent extended beyond club baseball, leading him to represent the Colombian national baseball team in the qualifiers for the World Baseball Classic in 2013. He participated once again in 2017, thoroughly showcasing his pace across the baseball field.

His personal life includes being married to a Colombian journalist, Danna, with whom they welcomed a daughter in 2022. All in all, Giovanny Urshela Salcedo’s journey in professional baseball till date offers a tale of persistence, passion, and resilience, carving him out as one of the integral parts of the game.