In 2011, as a 16-year-old playing in a full-season league, he held his own for Greensboro, hitting
.312/.388/.484 with 32 doubles, 15 home runs, 73 runs, 77 RBI, and 32 steals over 37 attempts.
Third behind Brady Shoemaker and Andrew Clark, and tied for 9th with Noah Perio in the South Atlantic League in average, batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, he had a 144-hit season (tied for 6th).
He was instrumental in Greensboro’s victory in the conference final. Jose Monegro’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the 15th inning won game one.
Along with Brandon Jacobs and Kyle Parker, he was named to the SAL All-Star outfield. After Bryce Harper, Machado, Jurickson Profar and Jameson Taillon, he was considered the SAL’s No. 5 prospect (after Harper, Machado, Profar, and Taillon).
Marlins Minor League Player of the Year, he was recognized for his efforts.
He slugged .330/.404/.519 with 29 doubles, 76 runs, and 20 steals despite being caught six times by the Jupiter Hammerheads in 2012.
The Florida State League leaderboards were littered with his name: 2nd batting average (.012), first slugging (36 points), 2nd OBP (38 points), 1st oPS (.063), 5th doubles, 3rd runs, and 7th total bases.
He also tied for 5th in doubles with Marcell Ozuna (206). He was selected to the All-Star team along with teammates O’Neill and Ozuna.
For the second consecutive year, he was named Minor League Player of the Year by the Miami Marlins.
In addition to being named the FSL’s No. 4 prospect (behind Jose Fernandez, Gerrit Cole, and Taillon), he was also ranked No. 2 in the Marlins’ organization after Fernandez and No. 15 in all of baseball by Baseball America.
During the 2012 Futures Game, Yelich replaced Anthony Gose in the lineup and replaced Wil Myers in right field, leading the US to a 17-5 victory (Myers moved to center).
He scored on a hit by Machado in the sixth inning against Ariel Pena. When he came up to bat later in that nine-run inning, Julio Rodriguez chose to walk him. He appeared against Kyle Lotzkar in the eighth inning.
Where Is Christian Yelich Now?
Christian Yelich is at the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Marlins acquired Lewis Brinson, Isan Daz, Monte Harrison, and Jordan Yamamoto in exchange for Yelich on January 25th, 2018, from the Milwaukee Brewers.