Feb. 17, 1990: Yankees sign Mariano Rivera

Feb. 17, 1990: Yankees sign Mariano Rivera

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Every batter knew what was coming when they faced Mariano Rivera, so it was hardly necessary for the New York Yankees’ catchers to conceal their signs. They knew it was coming, perhaps the best cut fastball ever delivered by a big leaguer. And they still couldn’t hit it. Raised in the Panamanian fishing village of Puerto Caimito – about 15 miles from Panama City – Rivera began his baseball journey playing with cardboard glove…

Rivera joins Yankees to start stellar career

Rivera joins Yankees to start stellar career kkundahl Tue, 2026-02-17 13:37 With a record 652 saves ahead of him, the Panamanian prospect provided more value than New York could have ever imagined. Craig Muder The New York Yankees scouted Mariano Rivera in Panama before signing him to an amateur free agent contract on Feb. 17, 1990. (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)   He was a 20-year-old fringe prospect from Panama, and on Feb. 17, 1…