Who is Yohel Pozo? Cardinals’ unlikely hero delivers unforgettable walk-off moment

While Pozo showed flashes offensively throughout the minors, including a massive 2021 Triple-A season where he hit .337 with 23 home runs, he bounced between organizations trying to stick at the major league level. His baseball journey became even more remarkable after reports surfaced that Pozo and his family were once living out of a car in a Walmart parking lot in Florida while he worked food delivery jobs after becoming a free agent in 2020.

That perspective helps explain why moments like Friday night clearly mean so much to him.

MORE: Jordan Walker does it all as Cardinals stun Athletics with late comeback

Cardinals continue finding timely heroes

Friday’s win was another example of the resilience the Cardinals have shown during the first two months of the season. St. Louis struggled repeatedly with runners in scoring position throughout the night, finishing just 2-for-13 in those situations. But when the game reached the 11th inning, Pozo delivered immediately after entering as a pinch hitter.

The hit also snapped an 0-for-6 stretch for Pozo as a pinch hitter this season, making the timing even sweeter. The Cardinals improved to 26-18 with the victory, matching their season-high mark of eight games over .500. They’ve now won back-to-back games in dramatic fashion after Thursday’s late comeback victory in Sacramento.

Jordan Walker also continued his breakout campaign Friday night, finishing with three hits and his 13th home run on the season. According to the Cardinals' broadcast notes, Walker now leads National League outfielders in home runs while batting .309. Still, Friday belonged to Pozo.

For one night at Busch Stadium, the little-known catcher became the center of the baseball world, and Cardinals fans likely won’t forget that bat flip anytime soon.

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