“I’m 5’10, I throw 90 miles an hour…hopefully I can keep inspiring kids." - New York Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes hopes to inspire young players, proves that physical attributes aren't everything in the MLB
Nestor Cortes has been one of the biggest surprises for both the New York Yankees and the MLB as a whole, as the unheralded pitcher now finds himself in the conversation for the American League Cy Young Award. It is the fifth year in the MLB for this young pitcher, who has posted a stellar ERA of 1.80 and a 1.7 WAR, good for second place on the team behind Aaron Judge.
Baseball is the ultimate example of meritocracy in sports. It does not matter where you come from or what you look like; if you are able to perform at an elite level, you will get an opportunity. Nestor Cortes may not look like a prototypical pitcher and does not have unbelievable arm strength, but he is still one of the best pitchers this season.
The pitcher recently opened up and shared some of his goals with the YES Network, which they posted via Twitter.
“I’m 5’10, I throw 90 miles an hour…hopefully I can keep inspiring kids."
- Nestor Cortes in an all-new episode of The Feed on the YES App: onelink.to/yesapp https://t.co/0P9NaqzUD6
"I’m 5’10, I throw 90 miles an hour…hopefully I can keep inspiring kids" - Nestor Cortes, via @ YES Network
This is an admirable goal for the New York Yankees' starting pitcher, and one that should have excellent results in the future.
Nestor Cortes is quickly becoming a fan favorite for the New York Yankees
If you had asked a casual baseball fan who Nestor Cortes was prior to the 2022 season, the response probably would have consisted been "the pitcher with the mustache," but he is quickly becoming a household name.
If his performance on the field was not enough, the 27-year-old pitcher has stolen the hearts of the fans, and he loves them right back.
He recently responded on Twitter to a trio of young fans who were rocking his iconic moustache.
We need more of these !!! twitter.com/SportsCenter/s…
"We need more of these !!!" - @ Nestor Cortes
The man lovingly referred to as Nasty Nestor threw an immaculate inning this season, striking out three batters from the Baltimore Orioles on nine straight pitches. This rare occurrence was posted to YouTube by the MLB.
This pitcher might be in the process of becoming a superstar. The humility we are seeing from him is very endearing, and the fact that he just wants to inspire young players is what makes him a fan favorite.
He also constantly expresses gratitude for the position he is in, as he did via this tweet.
I’m just living the dream. Everything else is just an extra !
"I’m just living the dream. Everything else is just an extra !" - @ Nestor Cortes
If all professional athletes were as humble and lovable as the Cy Young Award candidate from the New York Yankees, the sports world would be a better place. If he can continue the absurd pace he has started the season on, the pitching rotation of the New York Yankees could be one of the most dangerous in baseball.