Yadir Drake will play for Aguilas Cibaenas for the upcoming Liga de Beisbol Profesional de la Republica Dominicana 2023-2024 winter league season Pelota Cubana writer Yusseff Diaz reported on Wednesday.
Drake is from Matanzas, Cuba and left the island after playing two seasons from the former winter league circuit in Serie Nacional during 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 for his hometown team Cocodrilos de Matanzas, where he was developing his mechanics at the catcher position before going to Mexico to play in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol sub-division semiprofessional academy circuits with Diablos de Rojos academy based complex level and Tecos de los Dos Laredos at their complex level as well before signing with the Dodgers.
Drake has been a professional journeyman since he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent prior to the start of the 2015 regular season after participating in Major League workout in August of 2014.
Fuentes: El toletero matancero @yadir_drake jugará con las @aguilascibaenas de la @LIDOMRD este invierno. #pelotacubana #LIDOM pic.twitter.com/W80qRFZ4HD
— Yusseff305 🇨🇺🇺🇲 (@yusseff305) June 1, 2023
Drake would begin 2014 in minor league camp with the Dodgers and started the beginning of his professional career in the United States with the Class-A Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest league. He made it up through the Dodgers organization to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers before he was released on May 27, 2016 after just hitting .109 in 19 games to start the regular season.
Drake has played in the Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional, one season with Matanzas in Serie Nacional in 2021-2022, and Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico winter league circuits during the last six seasons and has played with Generales de Durango in 2017 and 2018, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters for the half the season in 2017 after he was signed in late June, Sultanes de Monterrey for two seasons in 2018 and 2019 before joining with Leones de Yucatan during 2021 in Liga Mexicana de Beisbol.
Drake helped Leones de Yucatan win their fifth Serie del Rey championship title in franchise history last season beating Sultanes de Monterrey in seven games. Last season, Drake hit .328 in 84 games with 361 plate appearances he recorded 109 hits, 23 doubles, 14 home runs, 61 RBI, with 25 walks and a .909 OPS.
During last winter league season, Drake played with Yaquis de Obregon in the LAMP winter league circuit where he played in 65 games hitting .273 recording 65 hits in 270 plate appearances hitting 12 doubles, six home runs, 42 RBI, 12 stolen bases, and walked 23 times.
Drake played for Cuba in the 2023 World Baseball Classic during March, where he played in six games batting .381 with 21 at-bats he recorded eight hits, two doubles, two RBI, and two walks helping Cuba reach the semifinals.
In Drake’s third season with Leones de Yucatan, he is hitting .348 in 35 games with 137 plate appearances recording 41 hits, seven doubles, two home runs, 23 RBI, 18 walks, and an .891 OPS.
The Liga de Beisbol Profesional de la Republica Dominicana 2023-2024 winter league season will begin on October 19 with Aguilas Cibaenas playing their home opener against Gigantes del Cibao at 7:30 p.m. EDT.
World Baseball Network will have coverage with the confirmed streaming platform websites for the 2023-2024 LIDOM regular season prior to October 19.