Bacardi Untameable - Yan Gomes, the unlikeliest of studs

When Yan Gomes first took the field as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays back in 2012, the Brazilian expatriate seemed destined to become a footnote in the vast annals of baseball history.

No player in history had ever called Brazil home before Gomes, whose national heritage afforded the catcher more distinction than his solid minor-league stats or unique batting stance.

As it happens, Gomes did little of import throughout his first stint in the majors, wherein his Brazilian upbringing was often cited as a talking point. Selected in the 10th round of the 2009 draft, Gomes had spent the majority of his professional career as a catcher, but the Blue Jays were loath to displace incumbent J.P. Arencibia - subsequently turning Gomes into a defensive nomad upon his promotion in 2012.

Gomes vacillated primarily between third and first base during his tenure with Toronto, spending time in left field while receiving only the occasional start behind the plate. Changing positions on a nightly basis, Gomes struggled to find a rhythm at the plate and managed a meager .204/.264/.367 line (70 OPS+) with four home runs and a 28.8 percent strikeout rate through 43 games with the Blue Jays.

Gomes' future with the organization looked increasingly tenuous as the season wound down; Arencibia remained Toronto's primary catcher and Gomes, without a position to call home, seemed an unlikely candidate to crack Toronto's 25-man roster heading into 2013. 

Gomes was shipped with Mike Aviles for right-hander Esmil Rogers barely five weeks after the 2012 campaign ended. Though Aviles was the centrepiece of the deal, the Indians were eager to get Gomes back behind the plate - the club had no backup for Carlos Santana, whose defense seldom evokes praise - and general manager Chris Antonetti was enamored with Gomes' "very good arm strength" and "soft hands." 

As expected, Gomes secured a spot on the Opening Day roster after hitting .407/.467/.704 with six extra-base hits in Spring Training, effectively outdueling Lou Marson for Cleveland's backup catcher job. Though he began the season as Santana's understudy, Gomes' role quickly expanded amid strong play from the 25-year-old. When the All-Star break finally arrived, Gomes had fashioned a .770 OPS with six home runs through 39 games and appeared poised to claim full-time duties behind the plate.

As the Indians vied for a postseason berth throughout the second half of the season, Gomes started 44 of his club's final 67 games, finishing the campaign with 11 home runs and a solid .826 OPS while throwing out 41 percent of potential base-stealers. His performance impressed the Indians that the front office rewarded him with a six-year, $23-million extension in March, a development that effectively installed Gomes as Cleveland's catcher for the foreseeable future and forced Santana to ply his trade at another position.

The Indians have already enjoyed a considerable return on their investment, as Gomes has produced more wins above replacement this season than every catcher except Jonathon Lucroy, who started for the National League All-Star team last month. Gomes, who turned 27 in July, has crushed 16 home runs with a 127 wRC+ in 2014 and continues to cement his position among the league's foremost offensive catchers; over the last two seasons, only Buster Posey has managed a greater adjusted OPS than Gomes among catchers with at least 150 games played:

[Courtesy: Baseball-Reference Play Index]

Gomes has become such an indispensable member of the Indians that his exploits are probably celebrated in Brazil, a country without a profound connection to major league baseball. However, the Sao Paulo native has so quickly (and inconspicuously) established himself among baseball's premier catchers that, really, it's no longer of great consequence where he comes from.

And that must feel better than being a footnote.