Yasiel Puig
A Cuban defector whose electric talent and unbridled energy made him a lightning rod for adoration and controversy in Los Angeles.
Born 1990 (age 36)·Cuban-American baseball player·Birthday: December 7·Millennials
Biography
Yasiel Puig's story is one of dramatic escape and immediate impact. After a harrowing journey from Cuba involving smugglers and a Mexican safe house, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012. He exploded onto the MLB scene the following year, a force of nature whose powerful arm, aggressive baserunning, and clutch hitting ignited a dormant Dodgers team and captivated a city. Dubbed 'The Wild Horse' by broadcaster Vin Scully, Puig played with a visceral joy and a sometimes frustrating lack of polish that made him impossible to ignore. His peak was brilliant but brief; after helping the Dodgers to multiple pennants, his career became itinerant, with stops in Cincinnati, Cleveland, and South Korea, yet his early years in Chavez Ravine remain the stuff of baseball legend.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Yasiel was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Yasiel Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Yasiel's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2013 after a sensational mid-season call-up.
- Was a key offensive catalyst for the Los Angeles Dodgers teams that won National League West titles from 2013 to 2017.
- Earned an All-Star selection in 2014, his first full season in the major leagues.
- Hit three home runs in the 2018 World Series as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Did You Know?
His defection from Cuba reportedly involved a speedboat trip to Mexico and a period of confinement by smugglers before his MLB contract was finalized.
Vin Scully gave him the nickname 'The Wild Horse' for his reckless, powerful style of play on the basepaths and in the outfield.
He played for the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korean Baseball Organization after his MLB career.
He was known for his intense, sometimes playful, rivalry with San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner.
“I play with a lot of enthusiasm. I play with a lot of joy. That's just the way I am.”
