Stephen Wayne Yeager (born November 24, 1948) is an American former professional baseball catcher. Yeager spent 14 of the 15 seasons of his Major League Baseball career, from 1972 through 1985, with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His last year, 1986, he played for the Seattle Mariners. From 2012 to 2018, Yeager was the catching coach for the Dodgers. He was co-MVP of the 1981 World Series.

Early and personal life

Yeager was born in Huntington, West Virginia. He attended Meadowdale High School in Dayton, Ohio. Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley was the best man at his wedding to local rock musician Gloria Giaone. He later moved to Granada Hills, California.

Minor league career

The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Yeager in the fourth round of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft. After one game with the rookie level Ogden Spikers of the Pioneer League, Yeager was sent to the Dodgers' Single-A affiliate, the Dubuque Packers of the Midwest League.

Yeager injured his knee in 1982 and broke his wrist the next year, which severely limited his playing time.

Seattle Mariners (1986)

He was traded from the Dodgers to the Seattle Mariners for Ed Vande Berg on December 11, 1985. He retired after hitting .208 in 130 at bats in 1986.

Minor league coaching career

In 1999, Yeager was the hitting coach for the Dodgers' Single-A San Bernardino Stampede, which won the California League championship. He managed the Long Beach Breakers in the independent (now-defunct) Western Baseball League in 2001. He was sued for the same scheme in November of that year in Illinois and in 1997 in California.

By 1997, Yeager had been divorced three times.

Yeager is a co-owner of a Jersey Mike's Subs franchise.

References

  • Baseball Almanac bio