A former Yankee has reportedly suffered a freak injury in Japan.
Tyler Austin, a 2010 Yankees draft pick who played in The Bronx from 2016-18, had to leave a recent Yokohama DeNA BayStars game after hitting his head on the ceiling while changing his jersey behind the team’s bench, according to Yahoo Japan, which cited the team’s PR department and manager Daisuke Miura.
The 33-year-old went to change his jersey after he slid head-first into home plate and was thrown out, and he was removed during the seventh inning after the mishap.
Tyler Austin with the Yankees in 2018. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Austin, who is in his fifth season with Yokohama, is having a strong 2024 season, slashing .322/.393/.620 with 22 home runs and 60 RBIs.
Once reportedly referred to as a “mega prospect” by GM Brian Cashman in 2012, Austin made his MLB debut with the Yankees in 2016, and the first baseman/outfielder appeared in 85 games over three seasons with the club before he was traded to the Twins in 2018 as part of the Lance Lynn deal.
Austin, who played for the USA team that captured silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, hit .230 with a .746 OPS, 15 home runs and 43 RBIs with the Yankees.
Tyler Austin played 85 games with the Yankees from 2016-18. Getty Images
He was traded by the Twins to the Giants in April of 2019, and he became a free agent after San Francisco designated him for assignment that August.
Austin latched on with the Brewers for the rest of the year, initially on a minor league contract, before signing with Yokohama in November 2019.
