Nick Yorke

Nick Yorke
Yorke with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates – No. 38
Second baseman
Born: (2002-04-02) April 2, 2002Newport Beach, California, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 16, 2024, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB statistics (through 2025 season)
Batting average.226
Home runs3
Run batted in13
Stats at Baseball Reference 
Teams

Nicholas Anthony Yorke (born April 2, 2002) is an American professional baseballsecond baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was selected by the Boston Red Sox with the 17th overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft. Yorke was traded to the Pirates in 2024 and made his major league debut later that year.[1]

Amateur career

Yorke attended Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, California, where he played baseball.[2] He began his high school career as a shortstop, but moved to designated hitter after undergoing shoulder surgery.[3]

In 2019, his junior year, he was named to The Mercury News All-Bay Area Team.[4] Over his high school career, Yorke recorded a .457 batting average with 134 hits, 100 runs, and 77 runs batted in across 94 games.[5]

He committed to play college baseball for the Arizona Wildcats before signing professionally.[6]

Professional career

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox selected Yorke with the 17th overall pick of the 2020 MLB draft, with MLB.com listing him as a second baseman.[7] He signed with the Red Sox on July 7, 2020, for a $2.7 million bonus.[8]

During the shortened 2020 season, the Red Sox added Yorke to their pool of reserve players on September 17.[9] Although the minor league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he was invited to participate in the Red Sox’ fall instructional league.[10] Following the season, Baseball America ranked Yorke as the Red Sox’ ninth-best prospect.[11]

In 2021, Yorke was a non-roster invitee to Red Sox spring training.[12] He began the season with the Low-ASalem Red Sox.[13] After hitting .323 with 10 home runs, 47 runs batted in (RBI), and 11 stolen bases in 19 attempts over 76 games, Yorke was promoted to the High-AGreenville Drive in late August.[14][15] Over 21 games with Greenville, he batted .333 with four home runs and 15 RBI.[16]

Yorke returned to Greenville to start the 2022 season.[17] In May, he was ranked 33rd on Baseball America's list of the top 100 prospects in baseball.[18] That season, he appeared in 80 games for Greenville, hitting .232/.303/.365 with 11 home runs, 45 RBI, and eight stolen bases in 12 attempts.[14] After the season, he was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League.[19]

Yorke spent the 2023 season with the Double-APortland Sea Dogs, slashing .268/.350/.435 with 13 home runs, 61 RBI, and 18 stolen bases across 110 games.[20] He returned to Portland to begin the 2024 season, ranked as the Red Sox’ number eight minor-league prospect by Baseball America.[21] In June, Yorke was promoted to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox, where he hit .310/.408/.490 with six home runs, 19 RBI, and six stolen bases over 38 games.[22]

Nick Yorke of the Indianapolis Indians running the bases
Yorke with the Indianapolis Indians in 2025

Pittsburgh Pirates

On July 29, 2024, the Red Sox traded Yorke to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for pitcher Quinn Priester.[23] He appeared in 40 games for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, slashing .355/.431/.507 with two home runs, 26 runs batted in (RBI), and seven stolen bases.

On September 16, the Pirates selected Yorke’s contract, adding him to the 40-man roster and promoting him to the major leagues for the first time. He made his debut that day, starting at second base and going 0-for-3.[24] In 11 appearances during his rookie season, Yorke batted .216/.286/.378 with two home runs, five RBI, and two stolen bases.

Yorke was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis to begin the 2025 season.[25]

Personal

Yorke's brothers, Zach and Joe, also play baseball. Zach is a first baseman for the LSU Tigers, and formerly served in the same role for the Grand Canyon Antelopes, while Joe played collegiately for the Boise State Broncos and the Cal Poly Mustangs.[26][27][28]

References

  1. ^"Nick Yorke". MLB.com. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  2. ^Sabedra, Darren (May 2, 2018). "For these Mitty baseball stars, Mom really does know best". The Mercury News. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  3. ^Ciccotelli, Jenna (June 10, 2020). "The Red Sox select Nick Yorke in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft". Boston.com. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  4. ^Sabedra, Darren (June 12, 2019). "All-Bay Area News Group baseball: Meet the 2019 team". The Mercury News. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  5. ^Ciccotelli, Jenna (June 10, 2020). "The Red Sox select Nick Yorke in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft". Boston.com. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  6. ^Cotillo, Chris (June 10, 2020). "Boston Red Sox draft Nick Yorke, high school 2B from California, with No. 17 overall pick". MassLive.com. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  7. ^"MLB Draft Tracker". MLB.com. 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  8. ^Cotillo, Chris (July 7, 2020). "Boston Red Sox sign first-rounder Nick Yorke; No. 17 overall pick gets $2.7 million bonus". MassLive.com. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  9. ^"Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. September 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  10. ^Hatfield, Chris (October 4, 2020). "Red Sox 2020 Fall Instructional Camp roster and details". SoxProspects.com. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  11. ^Speier, Alex (November 12, 2020). "Ranking the top prospects in the Red Sox' farm system". The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  12. ^Bradford, Rob (February 13, 2021). "Why the Red Sox are letting Nick Yorke mingle with the major leaguers this spring training". WEEI-FM. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  13. ^"Nick Yorke". SoxProspects.com. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  14. ^ ab"Nick Yorke Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  15. ^Speier, Alex (August 23, 2021). "Nick Yorke, Red Sox' 2020 first-round pick, promoted to High A Greenville". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  16. ^"Farm Report: Sox get last laugh in Yorke pick? 19-year-old prospect blew away expectations". Yahoo! Sports. December 17, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  17. ^Callis, Jim (April 6, 2022). "Here's where Red Sox Top 30 prospects are starting '22". MLB.com. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  18. ^Collins, Matt (May 4, 2022). "Five Red Sox prospects land Baseball America's latest top 100". Over the Monster. SB Nation. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  19. ^Crowell, Jim (October 10, 2022). "Fall/Winter League Roundup: Arizona Fall League begins; Yorke and Ward impress". SoxProspects.com. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  20. ^"Nick Yorke - Stats - Batting". FanGraphs. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  21. ^Speier, Alex (April 1, 2024). "A look at the Red Sox' full-season minor league affiliates and the top prospects at each level". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  22. ^Behanna, Garrett (July 29, 2024). "Pittsburgh Pirates trade Quinn Priester to Boston Red Sox for Nick Yorke". CBS News Pittsburgh. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  23. ^Destin, Andrew (July 29, 2024). "Pirates trade Quinn Priester to Red Sox for infield prospect Nick Yorke". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  24. ^"Pirates Promote Nick Yorke". MLB Trade Rumors. September 16, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  25. ^Deeds, Nick (March 22, 2025). "Pirates Designate Joshua Palacios, Option Henry Davis". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  26. ^Dionis, Baron (February 18, 2025). "Nick Yorke's brother is an underrated name for the Pirates to watch in MLB Draft". Rum Bunter. FanSided. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  27. ^Berman, Miles (May 26, 2022). "Meet Joe Yorke: Cal Poly Baseball's big bat with an even bigger personality". Mustang News. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  28. ^"Joe Yorke Amateur & College Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 22, 2025.

Further reading

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