These days, Yandy Diaz is the incredibly muscular leadoff hitter for the Tampa Bay Rays.
He’s one of the most important pieces to the Rays’ hopes of winning their first-ever World Series. He sets the table for everything that comes after him in the lineup, and he’ll try to do damage against a strong Milwaukee Brewers pitching staff.
Diaz’s journey to this point is even more incredible than his muscles.
It involved a loving family and a defection from Cuba to reach his dreams of being a professional baseball player — and then to ascend all the way to the World Series.
When Diaz digs in as the first batter of the 2026 World Series, it’ll be the culmination of a long odyssey to this moment.
Yandy Diaz Family
Mother
When Yandy Diaz defected from Cuba, his mother was left behind. She has remained in Cuba since his defection, meaning he hasn’t seen her in person since 2013.
They’ve remained in touch the entire time through phone calls and messaging.
When MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian asked him how important his mother Elsa Maria Fernandez was as part of a story in 2017, he repeated the same Spanish word three times:
“Todo. Todo. Todo.”
She’s everything.
His mother even convinced him to fall for baseball.
“I didn’t even like baseball at the beginning,” Diaz told Bastian in 2017. “She’s the one who convinced me to start playing baseball, and it’s my whole life now.”
Father
Yandy’s father is named Jorge Diaz, and he had the nickname of “The Spider” when he was playing baseball.
He was a ballplayer in Cuba’s National Series for the Villa Clara Sugarmakers.
Wife, Children
Diaz is married to his wife Mayisleidis Diaz.
They have a son, Yandy Jaredo Diaz — who they can call Yandito, meaning “little Yandy.” He was born in July 2023, so he’s 3 years old now.
How Yandy Diaz Defected From Cuba After Jail Time
Cuban baseball players could not just leave the island to pursue a Major League Baseball dream.
They have to escape, otherwise known as defecting.
Bastian wrote this in 2017:
“As is the case for many Cuban kids, that passion for baseball led to a difficult decision. Diaz knew he would need to leave his country — and his mom — in order to pursue his dream of playing in the big leagues. He tried to flee twice, but was caught and jailed for 21 days each time. In 2013, when Diaz was 21, he attempted a third escape. His mom was supportive.”
Diaz’s third try was successful. They landed in the Dominican Republic after a 12-hour journey on a motorized raft.
Diaz eventually signed with the Cleveland Indians, for whom he developed into a promising prospect.
Cleveland didn’t keep Diaz, though, eventually sending him to the Rays in a 3-team trade after the 2018 season. Tampa Bay helped Diaz embrace his strength by tapping into more elevated contact, and he’s become one of MLB’s most talented hitters.
Yandy Díaz’s Family & Incredible Journey From Cuba to MLB