*This content was translated by AI.
The "levitation ceremony" that shook the minor leagues has finally landed on the major league stage. This spectacular celebration, second to none in terms of flair, instantly captured the attention not only of local media but also of fans. The story is about left-handed pitcher Jeffrey Yan (30, New York Mets).
On the 6th (Korea time), Yan made his debut as the team's second pitcher in an away game against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, in the "2026 Major League Baseball (MLB)." He recorded one inning with two hits allowed, one walk, and two strikeouts without allowing any runs. Although there were some tense moments, he successfully completed his major league debut.
Beyond the statistics, Yan's signature celebration drew the most attention. Entering in the bottom of the sixth inning with no outs and runners on first and second, Yan struck out the first batter and then performed his signature jump celebration. Later, when he retired Chase DeLauter with a changeup to finish the inning scoreless, he jumped even higher and roared.
Immediately after Yan's strikeout, Cleveland manager Steven Boat protested strongly and was ejected, causing a commotion. The protest appeared to be against a check-swing call, but it was an incredibly coincidental situation. Already, Jeffrey Yan had sparked explosive reactions among Korean baseball fans, with comments such as "Park Sang-won of the Hanwha Eagles, known as the king of KBO League celebrations, would look like a gentleman compared to him," and "If he comes to Korea, Hwang Jae-gyun will make him say 'Come to first base.'"
However, behind this fun and spectacular celebration lies an extraordinary human victory story. According to The Athletic in the U.S., Yan entered the professional stage by signing an international contract with the Los Angeles Angels from the Dominican Republic at age 16. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2016, he disappeared from the professional minor league scene for five years. During that period, Yan supported himself working as a construction worker and delivery driver in Arizona. Even while working on roof repairs, he never lost his passion for baseball, and successfully returned to the game by signing with Miami in 2021.
He began expressing his joy by throwing his body into the air every time he recorded a strikeout during his Double-A days, sparking a "levitation pitcher" trend on social media (SNS). Yan signed a minor league contract with the Mets ahead of this season after playing for the Seibu Lions in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in 2024 and the Colorado Rockies in 2025. He recorded an impressive 77 strikeouts over 41⅔ innings at Double-A and Triple A this season, finally earning a call-up to the big leagues. Ultimately, he earned a hold in his debut game as the team secured a 6-5 victory.
Yan, who stepped onto the major league mound at age 30 after years of hard labor, said after the game, "I have no intention to insult or belittle anyone. I am simply enjoying baseball itself." Andy Green, interim manager of the Mets, also remarked, "Yan is a pitcher with definite stuff. If he can hit his spots, he is truly a unique and talented left-handed pitcher," adding with a smile, "Most importantly, he really jumps high."
Jeffrey Yan, who worked in various manual labor jobs before finally reaching the major league mound and fully displaying his unique tension, has captivated attention. It remains to be seen how far his spectacular jumps will carry him on the big league stage.
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*This content was translated by AI.
