Yankees director of Latin American Operations, Herb Raybourn, signed the 20-year-0ld amateur free agent to a contract worth $3,000.
Five years later Rivera would make his debut in the Bronx.
After going from starter to reliever to closer, Rivera became baseball’s all-time saves leader. Mo helped the Yankees’ lockdown five World Series titles.
Rivera’s No. 42 is retired in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium.
In 2019 he became the first unanimous member elected and inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.