When Jarred Cosart was seven years old in 1997, the Yankees were the reigning World Champions. The League City native and Astros fan had made up his mind then.

“I want to pitch against the Yankees and I hope to play in Yankee Stadium,” Cosart said he told his father.

Part one of the dream’s about to be realized.

Just after Derek Jeter’s pre-game ceremony ends Wednesday evening, the focus will move to Cosart in his first ever start against the Yankees. The Yanks have veteran righthander Hiroki Kuroda on the hill in a 7:10 p.m. scheduled start.

“It was a little tough to sleep last night,” Cosart said Tuesday. “I know it will be tough to sleep tonight, especially. I came to so many games when I was a kid, I’ve always been an Astros fan I’m just trying to take it all in not let it get to me too much.”

The 23-year-old righthander made 10 starts in the big leagues a year ago, posting a stellar 1.95 ERA.

Questionable, though, were his peripheral statistics. He struck out 33 and walked 35 in his 60 innings — numbers that would suggest he shouldn’t have fared as well as he did, and as a positive, that he may be skilled at pitching out of jams.

On social media over the winter, Cosart didn’t just ignore the criticism — he responded. Professional athletes often give the impression they don’t hear what the general public is saying, but no one lives in a vacuum.

“I know (the strikeouts and walks are) something I need to work on and that’s something I worked on in spring training and was successful with,” Cosart said. “You hear about it during the offseason: what you didn’t do well last season, what you did do well. It’s usually pretty self explanatory.”

Cosart moved his hand position down near his waist this spring, and pitching coach Brent Strom explained that was just one part of an effort to get more momentum in his delivery.

Cosart said his mechanics are working great, and he wants to work quick on Wednesday. He won’t shake off his catcher often.

“It was more than just the hand position — it was moving off the rubber,” Strom said. “Basically, it’s creating momentum, which then impacts his arm action, which then tightens up his arm action, which then in essence tightens up his control and tightened up his breaking ball. Became firmer, more controllable.”

Scott Feldman was the team’s opening day starter Tuesday, but Cosart has the stuff to be perhaps the team’s best pitcher at the end of the season. Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow has suggested 15 wins as a possibility.