Yadier Molina sponsors Puerto Rican youth and junior teams

HAVANA, Cuba, March 27, 2017 – Yadier Molina, the stellar catcher of St Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball, have started his sponsorship of the youth and junior volleyball program of Puerto Rico with the team taking part in the IV U18 Pan American Cup looking for a ticket to the world championship.

“He has a sport attire company and had the initiative to cooperate with our plans with the new talents because he likes the youth and sport and it is his way to contribute to the society,” said Dr. Anthony Melendez, vice president of Puerto Rican Federation.

He said that by the intermediation of Glorimar Ortega, former setter of the Puerto Rican national team, he contacted the FPV to make his dream to come true.

“This is the first tournament he is sponsoring and he will do it also with the U20 team,” said a well pleased Melendez.

“As a gratitude to him we are using the sign M4 in our uniforms, which represents the first letter of his name and the number he uses in his baseball jersey,” he said.

“We encourage baseball player that wants to collaborate not only with volleyball but with other sport disciplines in need of financial help, to join this initiative that comes from the feeling of Molina,” he said.

Yadier Benjamin Massa Molina, nicknamed Yadi, has won two crowns at Major League Baseball level playing for St Louis.

He just won the silver medal at the World Baseball Classic where he was elected the catcher of the All-Star Team.

The outstanding catcher of 1.80 meters tall was born on July 13, 1982 in Bayamon and over the first ten years of his career he has participated in seven post seasons with the Cardinals. Just after his debut he rapidly gained reputation as the owner of one of the strongest and most accurate arms behind de plate.

Since his debut in the Major Leagues in 2004, Molina has played only for one team and he has been selected to seven consecutive All-Star Games starting in 2009. He has won also eight Rawlings Gold Gloves and one Silver Bat.

He was born within a baseball family, being raised in the neighborhood of Espinosa in Dorado. His father was an amateur second baseman in the Isla del Encanto and his two older brothers, Bengie and Jose, were standout catchers in Major Leagues and he learned from them the art of catching.