Oswaldo Cabrera
Oswaldo Cabrera made his Opening Day debut on March 30, though he struck out four times. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post

The path to Major League Baseball is rarely a straightforward one. Many young rookies coming from humble backgrounds often struggle to keep their careers afloat due to the cash crunch. But the dream to feature in the big leagues fuels their drive to keep hustling. For New York Yankees’ young utility player Oswaldo Cabrera, the journey to the top was filled with struggles.

Born in Venezuela, Oswaldo Cabrera began playing baseball at a tender age and quickly showed promise as a talented infielder. Further, signed by the New York Yankees as an international free agent in 2015, he embarked on his professional career in the minor leagues before eventually advancing into the big leagues in 2022. However, during those six years, the utility player, along with his family, endured and sacrificed a lot just for the sake of a dream of a 16-year-old boy.

   

Oswaldo Cabrera Did Odd Jobs During Covid Pandemic To Support His Baseball Dream

Oswaldo Cabrera
Yankees utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera has been struggling on offense this season, finally finding some results over his last few games. AP

Utility player Oswaldo Cabrera left his home at the age of 16 after the Yankees signed him as a free agent in 2015. After playing in local leagues for a few years, he had a breakthrough year in 2021. Playing for Double-A Somerset Patriots, Cabrera scored .256 with a career-high 24 home runs and 78 RBI before the Yankees promoted him to Triple-A. Eventually, Cabrera made his major league debut in 2022. Meanwhile, the utility player recently opened up on his journey and said it playing in MLB was surely a dream come true not only for him alone but also for his whole family. Cabrera added his whole family worked hard behind the scenes to support his career.

Oswaldo Cabrera revealed that during Covid Pandemic, when the world shut down, he kept working with a fitness and training coach to ensure he did not lose his performance. However, there came a phase when he did not have much money to support his ultimate dream. Hence, the infielder took up odds jobs at Uber Eats, Amazon Flex, and construction sites to earn some bucks. He said he was not afraid to do anything, which helped in keeping his baseball career afloat. Eventually, everything worked out well. All those struggles endured by him and his family paid off as Cabrera continued to live his dream at the Yankees clubhouse.

Yankees Recalls Cabrera From Minors A Few Days After Demotion

Oswaldo Cabrera
Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

While Oswaldo Cabrera lived his dream of playing the big leagues, his time at the Yankees clubhouse has been on the downside. The infielder failed to produce any offense on the plate, as his average stayed below .200 for the longest time. Hence, the Yankees optioned him to Triple-A last week. However, an unfortunate injury came in as a blessing in disguise for the utility man.

The Yankees placed Greg Allen on IL last week due to a leg injury. Hence, Oswaldo Cabrera was recalled from the minor league as reinforcement. The infielder has received a lucky second chance. Hence, he must make good use of it before it again slips away. Baseball remains an unpredictable sport. It takes too less time for hard-working players to lose their charm. Hence, the stakes are too high for Cabrera at the moment.