Rubi Silva was once a highly touted prospect for the Chicago Cubs, the infielder-outfielder signed out of Cuba in 2011 with the team and made it to triple A before being inexplicably released by the ball club in 2015. During his five years in the minors with the Cubbies he hit .282 with 42 homeruns, 258 runs batted in and slashed .305/.429/.734.
Silva has decided to return to Cuba and once again play in the Serie Nacional, this time with the Cocodrilos de Matanzas. Silva formerly played two seasons with the now defunct La Habana team where he hit .265 with four longballs and 35 runs batted in 126 games with the team.
Fuentes: Rubi Silva reforzará a Matanzas en los playoffs de la Serie Nacional. El toletero se incorporará con el equipo el 5 de julio.#pelotacubana #serienacional pic.twitter.com/On78PmrccU
— Yusseff305 🇨🇺🇺🇲 (@yusseff305) July 4, 2023
Sources tell The Cuban Baseball Digest that he will be arriving in the country on the 5th of July to join the squad to reinforce a lineup that already includes Yurisbel Gracial, Andrys Pérez, Erisbel Arruebarruena, Ariel Sánchez, Anibal Medina, Eduardo Blanco and Yariel Duque. Last summer Silva played in the Independent Atlantic League and Piratas de Campeche of the Mexican League.
The native of Güines, Cuba will use his time in the Serie Nacional to prepare for his stint this season in the Nicaraguan Winter League with the Tigres de Chinandega where he played in 32 games, batted .331 (124 AB; 41 H), with eleven extra-base hits (9 2B and 2 HR) and 25 RBIs.
Matanzas will match-up with Artemisa in their quarterfinals series in the National Series playoffs.