Sandy Gastón was announced yesterday as one of the new reinforcements for the Bravos de Margarita’s pitching staff in the Venezuelan Winter League. The Tampa Bay prospect is looking to provide another live arm for the team’s bulletin corps.
Gastón was born in Matanzas, Cuba, on Dec. 16, 2001. Before signing with Tampa in 2018 he held a showcase in Miami, where he revealed an electric repertoire of pitches and wowed representatives from various major league organizations. The young hurler known as the “Baby Hurricane” has an array of pitches that the Rays hope to see throwing strikes in Tampa in the near future.
Baseball America ranked Gastón as their #24 international prospect, describing Gastón as having “an uncanny velocity for his age and one of the hardest throwing 16-year-olds ever.” The right-hander has a dominant fastball, a deceptive change up, a plus slider and a split-finger.
During Gastón’s Sub 15 league in 2016 where he was third in earned run average (1.22) and struck out 77 batters, in only 66 innings. In his final year in Cuba (2017), he struck out 47 batters in 47 innings as a member of the Under-18 tournament.
The flamethrower has yet to find his footing with the Rays in their farm system. In four minor league seasons the 21-year-old has a 7-12 record and a 5.19 earned run average. Gastón is looking to work on has craft during the winter and be ready for Spring Training this coming year.
Sandy Gastón reforzará el pitcheo de los @labarrabrava en la @LVBP_Oficial . El derecho matancero posee una bola rápida que llega a 100-mph. #pelotacubana #LVBP pic.twitter.com/Fe7GdB5O97
— Yusseff305 🇨🇺🇺🇲 (@yusseff305) November 3, 2023
Cubans in the Winter Leagues this season:
LIDOM:
Yunesky Maya RHP (Águilas)
Yadiel Hernández OF (Águilas)
César Prieto IF (Águilas)
Ariel Miranda LHP (Águilas)
Andrew Suárez LHP (Águilas)*
Dairon Blanco OF (Estrellas)
Yasiel Puig OF (Estrellas)
Roel Santos OF (Estrellas)
José Barrero IF-OF (Estrellas)
Julio Robaina LHP (Estrellas)
Río Gómez LHP (Estrellas)*
Jorge Martínez RHP (Estrellas)
Raúl Valdés LHP (Toros)
Darién Núñez LHP (Toros)
Julio Pablo Martínez OF (Toros)
Oscar Luis Colás IF-OF (Toros)
Diosbel Arias IF (Toros)
Henry Urrutia 1B-DH (Gigantes)
Yosver Zulueta RHP (Leones)
Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico:
Yasmany Tomás 1B-DH (Los Mochis)
Ronald Bolaños RHP (Los Mochis)
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)
José Miguel Fernández 1B-DH (Ciudad Obregón)
Elían Leyva RHP (Hermosillo)
LBPRC:
Pedro Echemendia RHP (Ponce)
JC Escarra C,IF,OF (Ponce)*(**)
Yanquiel Fernández OF (Ponce)
Orlando Martínez OF (Santurce)
Félix Stevens IF (Carolina)
Orlando Rodríguez RHP (Carolina)
Adeiny Hechavarría IF (Carolina)
Leam Méndez RHP (Mayagüez)
LVBP:
Edgar Escobar RHP (Caribes)
Yoel Yanqui IF (Cardenales)
Jesús Balaguer RHP (Bravos)
Sandy Gastón RHP (Bravos)
Pablo Guillen RHP (Magallanes)
Raynel Delgado IF (Magallanes)
LBPN:
Lorenzo Quintana C (Tigres de Chinandega)
Rubi Silva IF-OF (Tigres de Chinandega)
Dayán García IF (Tigres de Chinandega)
José Ramón Rodríguez (Tigres de Chinandega)
Alay Lago INF (Tren del Norte)
Yoanner Negrín RHP (Leones de León)
Rogelio Quesada RHP (Leones de León)
Robert Roilan Portuondo RHP (Gigantes de Rivas)
Yosmany Guerra IF (Gigantes de Rivas)
*Cuban-American
** Will play with Guasave until November, after November will join Ponce.