Four more Cubans have made their way to the Nicaraguan Winter League in preparation for another season. Two of the antilleans Dayán García and José Ramón Rodríguez come via the Serie Nacional, while Yoanner Negrín and Alay Lago play outside the country in other leagues.
Lago who had the biggest season of any foreigner last campaign returns to el Tren del Norte. The infielder led the circuit in batting average (.424), hits (95), runs batted in (47) and runs scored (48), in route to winning the LBPN’s most valuable player. This summer he hit .167 in the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol with the Generales de Durango.
Fuentes: El infielder Alay Lago regresará al @TrenBeisbol de la @LBPNOficial este invierno.#pelotacubana #LBPN pic.twitter.com/dj0RFDWGQK
— Yusseff305 🇨🇺🇺🇲 (@yusseff305) September 14, 2023
Negrín who is an experienced winter league pitcher has a 27-27 record and a 4.08 ERA in 9 winter campaigns will be part of the Leones de León’s pitching staff. This season win the Leones de Yucatán he had a 6-6 record and has won more than 60 games in the circuit, this includes a 18 win 2018 pitcher of the year award season.
In the cases of Dayán García and José Ramón Rodríguez whom will be teammates with the Tigres de Chinandega, were also part of the Cuban National Team in the World Classic earlier this year. This season Rodríguez posted a 6-4 record, 3.94 ERA and fanned 51 in 64 innings of work in the Cuban League. García on the other hand hit .377 with 15 homeruns and 51 RBIs in this year’s Serie Nacional.
Fuentes: El derecho camagueyano José Ramón Rodríguez jugará con los Tigres de Chinandega de la @LBPNOficial este invierno. #pelotacubana #LBPN pic.twitter.com/oo13V3rntE
— Yusseff305 🇨🇺🇺🇲 (@yusseff305) September 17, 2023
Cubans in the Winter Leagues this season:
LIDOM:
Yunesky Maya RHP (Águilas)
Rangel Ravelo IF-OF (Águilas)
Yadiel Hernández OF (Águilas)
César Prieto IF (Águilas)
Ariel Miranda LHP (Águilas)
Dairon Blanco OF (Estrellas)
Yasiel Puig OF (Estrellas)
Roel Santos OF (Estrellas)
José Barrero IF-OF (Estrellas)
Julio Robaina LHP (Estrellas)
Raúl Valdés LHP (Toros)
Darién Núñez LHP (Toros)
Julio Pablo Martínez OF (Toros)
Oscar Luis Colás IF-OF (Toros)
Henry Urrutia 1B-DH (Gigantes)
Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico:
Yasmany Tomás 1B-DH (Los Mochis)
Dany Oramas OF (Los Mochis)***
Daysbel Hernández RHP (Los Mochis)***
Albert Lara IF-OF (Navojoa)
Dariel Álvarez OF (Culiacán)
Miguel Romero RHP (Culiacán)
Peter O’Brien OF-1B (Culiacán) *
Félix Pérez OF-1B (Jalisco)
Yoennis Yera LHP (Jalisco)
Lázaro Blanco RHP (Mazatlán)
Yurisbel Gracial IF-OF (Mazatlán)***
Yoelkis Guibert OF (Guasave)
Yadir Drake OF-1B (Guasave)
JC Escarra C,OF,1B (Guasave)* (**)
Yoanys Quiala RHP (Monterrey)
Odrisamer Despaigne RHP ( Ciudad Obregón)
LBPRC:
Pedro Echemendia RHP (Ponce)
JC Escarra C,IF,OF (Ponce)*(**)
Lázaro Estrada RHP (Santurce)
Orlando Martínez OF (Santurce)
LVBP:
Edgar Escobar RHP (Caribes)
LBPN:
Lorenzo Quintana C (Tigres de Chinandega)
Rubi Silva IF-OF (Tigres de Chinandega)
Dayán García INF (Tigres de Chinandega)
José Ramón Rodríguez (Tigres de Chinandega)
Alay Lago INF (Tren del Norte)
Yoanner Negrín RHP (Leones de León)
Robert Roilan Portuondo RHP (Gigantes de Rivas)
*Cuban-American
** Will play with Guasave until November, after November will join Ponce.
*** invited to preseason camp