Yang Xiaotian was born in Xi'an and moved to Lianyungang with his parents when he was a primary school student.
Yang started his professional career with Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Sainty in 2010.
[1] He made his senior debut on 14 April 2013, in a 3–0 away defeat against Guizhou Renhe, coming on as a substitute for Jiang Jiajun in the 46th minute.
[3] On 11 April 2021, Yang joined fellow top tier club Guangzhou City for the start of the 2021 Chinese Super League season.
[5] After only a season he would leave to join another top tier club in Cangzhou Mighty Lions on 14 April 2022.