Before the start of the 62nd National Baseball Series in Cuba, Roberto Suliban Baldoquin from Las Tunas was in Cuba with the intention of playing in with his native Las Tunas. In 2015, at just 21 years old , he was considered a prospect and signed for an eight million bonus with the Anaheim Angels.
To the surprise of many who know his skillset the middling young infielder got a large sum of money, more than many expected. There is a running joke in Cuba that says Baldoquin might have smuggled more Cubans out of Cuba than any smuggler, because when the other players saw the sum that the shortstop was paid they all started to head for the exits.
The team finally pulled the plug on the Baldoquin experiment in 2020 because the soon to be 26 years old had never made it past AA. What was to be the team’s shortstop of the future became a monumental bust. The signing was such a giant gaffe that it barred the team from spending more than 300 K in international free agency for the next two seasons and missing out on studs like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. , Fernando Tatis Jr., and Juan Soto.
💥Atentos Fans de #LeñadoresLasTunas🪓🌵 :el infielder Roberto S Baldoquin Martinez, con experiencia de 6 temporadas en Ligas Menores #EEUU, está a punto de incorporarse a nómina del equipo Con @EquipoTunero @bolavivatv @telerebeldetv #FuerzaVerdirroja pic.twitter.com/ZLMYkNfksl
— Periódico26 (@26deLasTunas) May 4, 2023
Baldoquin who’s glove was Major League ready at the time of his signing was supposed to receive a little seasoning in the minors and be ready to take reins at shortstop in 2016. The Los Angeles Angels wrong , so wrong that they were forced to trade for Andrelton Simmons prior to the 2016 season to fill their gaping hole at short.
After his release he inked a deal with the Lexington Legends of the American Association in 2021, where he hit a robust .355 and was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals during the offseason. After hitting a paltry .231 between AA-AAA in 2022 and was released after the season. During his six seasons in the minor leagues, he played a total of 417 games where he slashed .231/.342/.267/.609, with 352 hits in 1,470 at-bats, 53 doubles, 12 triples, nine home runs, 108 walks and 127 RBIs.
Baldoquin has already completed the repatriation process that is stipulated by the Serie Nacional to rejoin its tournament. Now it is expected that the Inder Directorate will approve his reinsertion into the Cuban Sports System and communicate it to the National Baseball Commission, this will give him the green light to commence playing in Cuba.
Once those steps are completed, his presence in the Las Tunas line-up would be imminent. It is not ruled out that it could happen in the series that begins this Saturday against the Azucareros de Villa Clara. Baldoquin made his debut in the Serie Nacional with Las Tunas at the age of 17 and during his three seasons with club hit .254.