It’s been three weeks since Major League Baseball kicked off the nascent 2025 season, and for one player, his return to the mound has a backstory that only a roofer could love.

Why?

Beyond the glamour of slinging sliders in the majors, Colorado Rockies lefty Jefry Yan can also claim knowledge of slinging shingles during a three-year recuperation period in the mid-2010s after being released by the Los Angeles Angels following Tommy John surgery.

After he was cut, Yan spent over three years playing in a Sunday amateur league in Arizona while working his way back to the mound. 

To support himself, the lanky Dominican took on various odd jobs, including roofing, landscaping, and working as a delivery driver.

“I was still working on my baseball stuff,” Yan told the Associated Press. “I never let my dream of playing in MLB go away.”

The 28-year-old has garnered a lot of buzz in these early weeks of Spring Training, reportedly thrilling fans and teammates with animated enthusiasm and nearly doing the splits following a strikeout.

The talented pitcher began his professional baseball journey in 2014, dedicating his teenage years to the Angels organization for two seasons. 

Battling challenges with arm injuries, he nonetheless persevered, undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery in 2016 before eventually being released. Still, his determination is that of a roofer, so quitting is not in his DNA. 

His grit returned him to the majors in 2021, when he signed with the Miami Marlins and spent three years in their organization, reaching Triple-A but never the big leagues. Yahoo Sports reported that in 2023, he struck out 102 batters over 57 innings and elected for free agency following the season.

Last year, he pitched in Japan before signing with the Rockies this winter. 

Rockies manager Bud Black praised the late-blooming left-handed pitcher, noting his fastball that reaches the mid-90s and his wicked breaking pitches that are challenging to read, all delivered with a “herky-jerky” style.

Yan threw a scoreless inning of relief last Sunday against the Seattle Mariners and hasn’t given up a run in three appearances this spring.

“There’s been a few walks in the minors, but the strikeout is in there,” Black told the AP. 

“We need him to continue to throw the ball over the plate and be aggressive,” he added. “He’s a little flamboyant for sure, but that’s who he is; we encourage guys to be themselves.”

Yan said fans in Japan were receptive to his strikeout gymnastics and added that international baseball is ahead of the curve with celebrations — whether it’s in the Dominican Republic or Japan.

The southpaw’s passion, though, has been a return to the majors, one he’s worked hard to achieve. 

AP sportswriter David Brandt, who reported on the pro — turned roofer — back to pro’s tale of perseverance, said Yan is probably a longshot to make the Rockies’ opening day roster, but in the thin air of Coors Field, plenty of pitching is needed over a six-month season. 

“I pray that I’m healthy, can help this team and make my major league debut,” Yan said.