Rochester, Minn. – Former Willmar Stinger Eric Yang made his Major League debut for the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. Yang is the 362nd former Northwoods League player to reach the Major League level.
Yang, who played collegiately at the University of California, Santa Barbara, played for the Willmar Stingers in 2018. He was drafted in the 7th round of the 2019 MLB draft by the Reds.
In 2018 with the Stingers, Yang played in 31 games and hit .269 with two home runs, four doubles and 18 runs scored. He drove in 20 and walked 15 times.
Yang started his professional career in 2019 with the Billings Mustangs of the Rookie level Pioneer League. He hit .290 in 51 games with four home runs, nine doubles and 29 RBI.
In 2021 Yang spent the season with the Dayton Dragons of the High-A Central League. He appeared in 76 games and hit .203 with three home runs, one triple and 11 doubles. He stole two bases, drove in 19 and scored 31 times.
Yang started the 2022 season with the Chattanooga Lookouts of the AA Southern League. After 35 games he was sent to the Louisville Bats of the AAA International League. Between the two clubs he played in 48 games and hit .205 with two home runs, 20 RBI and 16 runs scored.
In 2023 Yang followed the same route starting with the Lookouts and then moving to the Bats. He would play in 41 games and hit .219 with one home run, six doubles and nine RBI.
Prior to his callup to the Reds, Yang had been in 28 games between Chattanooga and Louisville. In his Major League debut against the Chicago Cubs, Yang entered the game as a pinch hitter and went 0 for 1 at the plate.
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The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 360 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network. Learn more and find complete streaming schedules at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.