With another season right around the corner plenty of Cubans have an opportunity to latch on with Mexican League teams at the beginning of the season. More than 30 players from the Caribbean nation are in camp with LMB setting the stage for a great representation of the nation in the league once the season commences.
One player who will be closely followed by plenty of the league’s faithful is Henry Urrutia of the Saraperos de Saltillo who comes of not only winning the LMB’s batting title but was the Dominican Winter League batting champ this season. Saltillo also added ex-Major Leaguer and Korean League All-Star José Miguel Fernández. The Matanzas native set the KBO’s hit record for a foreigner when he swatted 199 in 2020. Fernández connected on 723 hits during his time in Korea with Doosan.
Saltillo also added vetern lefty and former Major Leaguer Ariel Miranda. The Cuban saw action in the bigs with Seattle and Baltimore posting a 13-9 and 4.72 ERA in three seasons. The Mayabeque, Cuba native is coming off an injury in 2022, but in 2021 he set the strikeout single record in the KBO with 225 punchouts during his time with the Doosan Bears. The southpaw also won the triple crown in Korea that year leading the circuit in ERA (2.25) and wins (14). Miranda also led the league in quality starts in route to the KBO’s MVP award and the Choi Dong Won trophy (Pitcher of the Year).
Roel Santos antes del juego hablando sobre su rol con el equipo y la atrapada ante Australia. #pelotacubana #WBC pic.twitter.com/EbVcsTPkur
— Yusseff305 🇨🇺🇺🇲 (@yusseff305) March 20, 2023
Yoennis Yera and Roel Santos also return to Tabasco playing under the management of the Cuban Federation. Santos who was the sparkplug of the Olmecas last year hit a whopping .411 and stole 16 bases from the leadoff spot. Santos will join the ball club mid-month due to the fact that his travel documents were stolen during the WBC. In Yera’s case the Matanzas lefty was the ace of the ballclub winning eight games and even tossing a no-hitter during the campaign.
Félix Pérez of the Tijuana Toros who led México in longballs (38), RBI’s (109) and was the league’s MVP last season returns to the club this year, while Yunesky Maya who was the ERA champ in the Dominican Winter League makes his debut with the México City Diablos Rojos. Yadir Drake (.328,14HR,61RBI) figures to be a key piece in the Leones de Yucatán title defense this season.
Several players who such as Yunieski Larduet (Campeche), Guillermo Avilés (Campeche), José Ramón Rodríguez (Tabasco), Dayán García (Tabasco) and Javier Mirabal (Tabasco) who are also managed by the Cuban Federation have the talent to latch on to a roster as non-roster invitees.
Dayan García nos comenta sobre su experiencia en el @WBCBaseball y sobre su futura incursión en la @LigaMexBeis .#pelotacubana #WBC2023 pic.twitter.com/TaurRzHYVv
— Yusseff305 🇨🇺🇺🇲 (@yusseff305) March 19, 2023
Olmecas de Tabasco:
Yoennis Yera LHP
Carlos Juan Viera RHP
Maikel Serrano IF-OF
Roel Santos OF
Raico Santos OF
Armando Dueñas RHP
Javier Mirabal RHP*
Dayan García IF*
José Ramón Rodríguez RHP*
Pericos de Puebla:
Luis Medina IF
Peter O’Brien OF
Piratas de Campeche:
Edain Román IF-OF*
Rafael Fonseca IF-DH*
Guillermo Avilés IF-OF*
Yuniesky Larduet OF*
Yudiel González OF*
Yandi Yanes OF*
Josúan Hernández IF-OF
Saraperos de Saltillo:
Henry Urrutia 1B-DH
José Miguel Fernández 1B-DH
Ariel Miranda LHP
Mariachis de Guadalajara:
Odrisamer Despaigne RHP
Dariel Álvarez IF-OF
Leones de Yucatán:
Yadir Drake IF-OF
Lázaro Alonso 1B-OF
Onelki García LHP
Yoanner Negrín RHP
Toros de Tijuana :
Félix Pérez OF-1B
Sultanes de Monterrey :
Jesús Balaguer RHP
Bravos de León:
Lázaro Blanco RHP
Diablos Rojos de México City:
Yunesky Maya RHP
Tigres de Quintana Roo :
Lázaro Hernández IF-OF
Generales de Durango:
Alay Lago IF-OF