Gerrit Cole: Yankees' Ace Pitches to Success

Early Life and Career

Gerrit Alan Cole, born on September 8, 1990, is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he pitched for the UCLA Bruins. Cole was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the first overall pick in the 2011 MLB draft.

MLB Career

Pittsburgh Pirates

Cole made his MLB debut with the Pirates in 2013 and quickly established himself as a top-notch pitcher. He was named to the National League All-Star team in 2015 and 2016, and he won the Silver Slugger Award for pitchers in 2016. In his five seasons with the Pirates, Cole posted an impressive record of 59-42 with a 3.50 ERA.

Houston Astros

In January 2018, Cole was traded to the Houston Astros. He continued to excel in Houston, helping the team win the 2019 World Series. In 2019, Cole led the American League in strikeouts (326) and finished second in the AL Cy Young Award voting. He also won his first career Platinum Glove Award.

New York Yankees

In December 2019, Cole signed a record-breaking nine-year, $324 million contract with the New York Yankees. He has been a valuable addition to the team's rotation, helping the Yankees to the AL East division title in 2021. Cole has been named to three All-Star teams as a Yankee and has finished in the top three in the AL Cy Young Award voting in each of his three seasons with the team.