Bio
Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Yankees in 2011, and was named an MLB All-Star in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Betances attended Progress High School within the Grand Street Campus in Brooklyn, New York. As a freshman, Betances was 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall, and could throw a fastball as fast as 85 miles per hour (137 km/h). By his junior year in 2005, Betances could throw upwards of 90 miles per hour (140 km/h). In 2005, Betances was named an Aflac All-American, the first player from New York City to receive the honor. He also played for the Team USA Junior National Team. By his senior year in 2006, Betances was 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m) tall. SchoolSports.com rated Betances as the tenth best high school prospect in 2006.
Betances was expected to be chosen in the first round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft.
However, he committed to attend Vanderbilt University on a baseball scholarship to play for the Vanderbilt Commodores and had a high signing bonus demand, which led him to fall in the draft. The Yankees selected Betances in the eighth round of the draft and gave him a $1 million signing bonus to forgo his commitment to Vanderbilt.
Betances made the Yankees' Opening Day roster in 2014. He was elected to his first All Star Game in 2014, becoming the first Yankees rookie pitcher—along with teammate Masahiro Tanaka—to earn an All-Star Game nod since Spec Shea in 1947.
Before the 2016 season began, the Yankees acquired closer Aroldis Chapman, who was traded in mid-season. While with the Yankees, the triumvirate of Betances, Chapman and Miller became known by fans as "No Runs–D.M.C., owing to the relievers' dominance of opposing hitters. Betances was named to his third straight MLB All-Star Game. He became the Yankees closer after the Yankees traded Chapman and Miller. For the third straight season Betances struck out 100 batters. Overall in 2016, Betances made 73 appearances with 126 strikeouts, a 3−6 record, a 3.08 ERA, and 12 saves.