Barely two years ago, JC Esmarra planned to abandon baseball. He led to Uber and worked as a substitute teacher in Miami, while playing independent baseball in an attempt to keep his dreams of major league alive.
In the space of two weeks, everything that has changed.
Last Thursday, the 29 -year -old aligned himself alongside the judge of Aaron, Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. in fine stripes. After years of trouble, Esmarra was a New York Yankee on the day of opening.
“It is difficult to put words,” Esmarra told Dailymail.com. “I’m still on the new cloud. It’s my dream since I was little, and now I live it, especially with New York Yankees. It’s not easy, so I appreciate it a little more.
Esmarra was a 15th round choice by the Baltimore Orioles in 2017 and spent almost five years in the minor leagues system of the Orioles before its release at the end of spring training in 2022.
But he did not give up. Esmarra has jostled. He played independent baseball in Mexico and Porto Rico while occupying two jobs after getting married in 2022. His wife Jocelyn, who expects their first baby, also worked several jobs to reach both ends.
JC Esmarra lived her dream on the day of opening the MLB as New York Yankee
After three years of trouble, the 29 -year -old finally received his call to the major league
After marrying his wife Jocelyn in 2022, he worked as a Uber driver and a substitute teacher
Esmarra finally signed a minor league contract with the Yankees in January 2024 and spent the season with the Double-A and Triple-A affiliates of the organization.
But two weeks ago, he finally received the call. He was heading for the Bronx. “You go to the big leagues,” said manager Aaron Boone after a strong spring formation.
Many big names, including New York Legends CC Sabathia and Andy Pettit, contacted to congratulate the recipient for having won his stripes, but the first Esmarra stopover port? His mother, Marinengs.
In a video that has since become viral, Esmarra has been captured breaking her mother’s news, who let out a cry of joy.
“It was only a regular day,” recalled Marinells, who joined her son when an appearance in the elevation of the flagship store from Cane in Times Square for an appearance for the channel.
“I was doing my house work, then when he called, I was talking to my mother. I answered and it was normal, until he told me the news. Then I started screaming and crying at the same time, ”she added with a little laugh.
Every mother would be proud to see her son go to the plate, but after seeing her boy go from rock-booth to the big leagues, Marinengs admitted that it meant a little more.
“I could see him when he broke down and when he was standing, and his strength and perseverance to continue fighting. When there is a victory, you must always have work. You must therefore have the battle to be able to see what is happening, ”she explained, the emotion slipping into her voice when tears threatened to make a return.
Esmarra’s mother, Marinengys (left), has become viral for her reaction to her son by obtaining her place
“I continued to cry until I arrive at the stadium,” she added emotionally.
The arrival of Esmarra to the Yankee Stadium aroused a lot of emotion. When it was time to make the trip of his Midtown hotel at the 161st street for the opening day, Esmarra called for a car – an Uber is precise.
It was a complete moment of circle, he insisted. “From what I experienced and what I had to do to get to where I am today, having a Uber trip to the stadium for my first major league match is really special,” he said.
However, even was held on the first basis line by singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” while the title champions of AL started their quest for the defense of the World Series, this still did not feel real.
Esmarra compared the “euphoric” experience to play in a film. And his fairy tale has all the shows of a Hollywood blockbuster – the one for which he has already chosen the main role.
“Everyone loves a good story. So using my story to make a film to draw inspiration from everyone would be incredible, ”he admitted.
“Because it doesn’t really matter if it is baseball or not, it is more about inspiring people to continue to continue their dreams through difficulties. So, I hope there is a film in the near future.
“From my mind, Brad Pitt or Jake Gyllenhaal, I love to see, so if they can play me one day, it will be pretty cool.”
The 29 -year -old compared his experience to a Hollywood Blockbuster well
Esmarra enjoyed a loop for a moment when he did a Uber tour at the Yankee Stadium
And the start of the Yankees season has also been selling a silver screen. The Bronx Bombers swept the Brewers from Milwaukee to open their 2025 campaign, including 20-9 and 12-3 victories.
The Yankees have since abandoned two games to the Arizona Diamondbacks, but Esmarra insisted that they will bring a championship ring to the Big Apple.
“We just see what we are capable of as a team and knowing that we can have games like that,” he said. “We know we have an excellent team. We are the New York Yankees, we are proud of that.
“I think it’s just a cheap in the season we are going to have. Start hot and get even warmer. We try to bring this ring back to New York, and that’s what we are going to do.
While the Yankees bats started hot, they were also controversial. Some of the fine stripes, including Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Volpe, use new bats designed by a former physics teacher.
Torpille’s bats, which have wood around the Bat label area as opposed to barrel, broke several records and with their success have occurred.
Barstool’s sports chief, Dave Portnoy, led to the wood after the domination of the Yankees, but Esmarra has now retaliated.
“We have been using them for some time. It’s not new, ”he insisted. “We are not the only ones to use them. There are a lot of other teams that use them.
The New Yankees Torpille bats have attracted a lot of upheavals. In the photo of Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Esmarra said that the experience was made more special by the fact that he and Jocelyn were waiting
“In the end, I can’t find a big difference. You should always swing the bat and hit the ball in the barrel. These are just little things that guys try to improve, and that’s where the game takes place.
“It doesn’t really matter, as long as MLB approves them. They are completely legal. Everyone could use them, so it’s just a game.
“I could personally tell you that it will not necessarily make you hit the more or harder ball, but maybe it’s mental.”
Esmarra made her debut on March 29 for the second game of the season, but did not have too many opportunities to handle the torpedoes himself. He had only two appearances in marble, playing Austin Wells in the middle of the depth of the recipient of the Yankees.
Instead, he adapts to the Big Apple, absorbing the “crazy” lifestyle with his parents, his wife, Jocelyn, and their new addition to the family.
“Having our first baby at the same time as I live my dream is very special for us,” said Esmarra.
“I am happy that I am not the only one to experience it. I have my mom here and my father here, my wife, our little little boy, it’s on this way. We will all appreciate it together.
