The New Golden Era of Cuban Baseball.

The Golden Era of Cuban baseball was said to have been from the 1940’s through to the 1970’s, but in my opinion we are entering that era as we speak. Cuba was the first island in the Caribbean and Latin American country to place a player in the Major Leagues, when Esteban Bellan made his debut with the Troy Haymakers in 1871.

A Cuban was also the first latino to win a Cy Young (Mike Cuellar,1969) and an MVP award (Zoilo Versalles,1965). Cuba was fertile ground for major league scouts until on ground changing event closed the island off to professional baseball, the Cuban Revolution in 1959. By 1961 the communist island at the behest of their leader Fidel Castro, sequestered itself from professional baseball.

Players such as Tony Oliva, Luis Tiant, Tony Pérez and Dagoberto “Bert” Campeneris were forced to chose between solitude on the island and a wonderful professional career at the choice of leaving behind their families. Although they flourished in the United States, they were ostracized by the island’s dictatorship and practically banished into exile.

The participation of Cubans waned in the 1970’s and was nearly non-existent in the 80’s and 90’s with Bárbaro Garbey, José Canseco, Rafael Palmeiro,José Contreras, Liván Hernández and Orlando “El Duque” Hernández having their shining moments over that span.

Cuban-Americans like Luis González, Tino Martínez, Raúl Ibáñez and Fernando Viña kept the island’s legacy alive in MLB until the floodgates opened and we saw what Cuba was hiding behind their iron curtain for decades.

In 2006 Cuba fought to participate in the inaugural World Baseball Classic after initially being banned from the competition by OFAC, probably the biggest error that the Cuban Federation has ever made. When the Cuban players saw how everyone else lives, the flood gates opened. From that year on any player who was somebody outside Alfredo Despaigne and Frederich Cepeda found their way stateside.

The first big name to fly the coup was Alexei Ramírez via a Dominican visa in 2007 and had a solid big league career. The lanky shortstop signed a four-year 8 million dollar contract and collected 1,300 hits during his in the big show. The native of Pinar del Río, Cuba also hit .270 with 115 homeruns, 590 runs batted in and slashed .307/.392/.700 over a solid nine-year career. Ramírez was also named to an All-Star Game and won two Silver Slugger Awards.

From 2009 to 2013 we got our first wave of Cuban players hitting the big stage. The defections of Yoenis Céspedes (.273,165 HR,43 SB), Yasiel Puig (.277,132 HR,79 SB), Aroldis Chapman (321 SVs, 2.53 ERA,1,148 K’s) and Raisel Iglesias (190 SVs, 2.97 ERA,728 K’s) showed us the largest of the Antilles was chock-full of talent.

In 2013 the New Golden Era began. The arrival of José Fernández to the big leagues ushered in arguably the most dominant presence Cuba has ever seen on the mound. The right-hander from Villa Clara, Cuba went 12-6 with a 2.15 earned run average en route to Rookie of the year honors. Fernández sported a robust 38-17 record in MLB until his untimely death in 2016.

José Abreu made his debut on the grand stage in 2014 and also was the Rookie of the Year that season, giving Cuba a ROY in consecutive seasons for the first time in their history. The slugger from Mal Tiempo, Cuba is the best hitter that has left the Serie Nacional in the opinion of most. “Pito” as he is known by the Cuban faithful has collected over 1,500 hits, 326 doubles, 361 homeruns and driven in 953 runs in a distinguished 10 year career that also includes an MVP award in 2020.

The crown jewel in the Cuban regime’s crown left in 2016 in Santo Domingo, when Yuli Gurriel decided to say “adios” to the FCB during the Serie del Caribe. “La Pina” as he is known made his MLB debut in 2016 winning two championship rings (2017,2022) and a batting title (2021) during his career in the big leagues.

In the year of 2019 we possibly saw “the future” of Cuban baseball and its next sure-fire Hall of Famer make his debut in Houston. Yordan Álvarez “The Giant” from Las Tunas, Cuba slugged 27 homeruns in only 313 at-bats during that campaign en route to a Rookie of the Year trophy. In only 1,738 trips to the plate Álvarez has swatted 129 homeruns, driven in 380 runs and hits .295 at the tender age of 26.

In 2020 Randy Arozarena stood up and the world took notice in the middle of a pandemic. Not only did the diminutive outfielder win the Rookie of the Year, but he also had a historic playoff run. Not only did he singlehandedly take his team to the World Series, but he also set a postseason record for hits with 27. Arozarena was also the 2020 ALCS MVP.

The year of 2021 brought more joy to the Cuban faithful, not only where Aroldis Chapman and Adolis García elected to the All-Star Game but Yuli Gurriel also won a batting title. Yordan Álvarez was also the ALCS MVP. In 2022 the greatest amount of Cubans graced the fields of MLB parks for one season,33. Also during the All-Star Game Cuban-born and Hialeah, Fl raised, mic’d up Nestor Cortés to let us know about his heritage and city.

This coming year was also a fruitful year for the Antilleans in the show. A record number eight Cubans were selected to the All-Star Game, Yandy Díaz won a batting title and once again a Cuban (Adolis García) was once again the ALCS MVP. It is no doubt that Cubans have made their mark over the last ten years, but that probably will not end anytime soon due to the fact that every able-bodied player with an ounce of talent is leaving the island to get away from its deplorable conditions.

With prospects like Yanquiel Fernández, Brayan Ramos, Josimar Cousin, César Prieto, Yosver Zulueta and a host of others do not expect a drop-off in Cuban talent in the majors anytime soon.

Awards won by Cubans since 2013:

MVP:

José Abreu 2020

Rookie of the year:

José Fernández 2013

José Abreu 2014

Yordan Álvarez 2019

Randy Arozarena 2021

Batting title:

Yuli Gurriel 2021

Yandy Díaz 2023

Silver Slugger:

José Abreu 2014,2018,2020

Alexei Ramírez 2014

Kendrys Morales 2015

Yoenis Céspedes 2016

Yordan Álvarez 2022

Gold Gloves:

Yoenis Céspedes 2015

Luis Robert 2020

Yuli Gurriel 2021

Adolis García 2023

Reliever of the Year:

Aroldis Chapman 2019

All-Star Selections:

José Fernández 2013,2016

Aroldis Chapman 2013,2014,2015, 2018,2019,2021

Yoenis Céspedes 2014,2015,2016

Alexei Ramírez 2014

José Abreu 2014,2018,2019

Yasiel Puig 2014

José Iglesias 2015

Yonder Alonso 2017

Yasmani Grandal 2019

Nestor Cortés Jr 2022

Yandy Diaz 2023

Randy Arozarena 2023

Yordan Álvarez 2023

Luis Robert 2023

Adolis García 2021,2023

Yennier Cano 2023

Lourdes Gurriel Jr 2023

Jorge Soler 2023

ALCS MVP:

Randy Arozarena 2020

Yordan Álvarez 2021

Adolis García 2023

World Series MVP:

Jorge Soler 2021

Adolis GarcíaAroldis ChapmanCuban Baseball DigestJosé AbreuJosé CansecoMajor League BaseballMLBOrlando HernándezRafael PalmeiroRaisel IglesiasRandy ArozarenaYunel Escobar
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