Yadier Molina

Yadier B. Molina (born July 13, 1982 in Bayamón, Puerto Rico) is a Major League Baseball catcher who plays for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Molina is the third catcher to play in two World Series before age 25, along with Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra. In his young career, Molina has thrown out 55% of runners attempting to steal bases, and has led major league catchers in pickoffs.

Molina was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico to Gladys Matta and Benjamín Molina. Molina's two older brothers, Bengie and José, are also major league catchers, Bengie with the San Francisco Giants, and José with the New York Yankees. Both say Yadier is the best catcher among them. Bengie, José and Yadier are the only trio of brothers to have each earned World Series rings. Molina makes his home in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico. He lives in Caseyville, Illinois during baseball season. Yadier Molina and his wife Wanda make their home in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico with their son, Yanuell Benjamin, who was born October 2008.

Molina made his debut with the Cardinals during their pennant-winning season of 2004, backing up Mike Matheny. Matheny served as a mentor to Molina, and like Matheny, Molina is an outstanding defensive catcher. Molina was picked over Matheny to start Game 4 of the 2004 World Series against the Boston Red Sox and during the following offseason, Matheny signed a 3-year, $10.5-million contract with the San Francisco Giants, clearing the road for Molina to become a starter for St. Louis.

In 2005, Molina's defense did not disappoint, and despite an awful offensive start, Molina proved to be a consistent contact hitter. In 114 games, he posted a .252 batting average with eight home runs and 49 RBIs. In 2006, in Game 7 of the NLCS, Molina hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning off Aaron Heilman of the New York Mets, giving the Cardinals a 3-1 lead and helping them secure a trip to the 2006 World Series, where they defeated the Detroit Tigers in five games.

Prior to the 2006 season, Molina changed his number from 41 to 4.

Molina also played for the Puerto Rican team in the first World Baseball Classic. He went 3-5 with an RBI in the four games that he played.

He enjoyed a two home run game for the first time in his career against the Milwaukee Brewers, helping the Cardinals beat the Brewers 8-0, in Milwaukee on August 16, 2007.

After the 2006 postseason, Molina proved to be both a good defensive and offensive player in the 2007 season ending the season with a .275 batting average, 6 home runs, and 40 RBIs.

Molina is primarily known for his defensive play. Through the 2007 season Molina has thrown out 50% of those runners attempting to steal while he is behind the plate. Manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan estimate that Molina is responsible for calling over 75% of all pitches thrown during a game. On January 14, 2008 it was announced that Molina and the Cardinals had agreed to a 4-year, $15.5 million deal with a club option for a fifth, cementing his position as their catcher of the future.

On July 5th, 2009, after holding off Braves catcher Brian McCann Molina was selected to represent St. Louis in the 2009 Major League Baseball All Star Game as the NL starting catcher.