Alexei Ramírez has decided to return to the Serie Nacional for the 2024 tournament that commences in early March joining Yoenis Céspedes, another ex-big leaguer to return to the Cuban circuit. The infielder was listed on the Vegueros de Pinar del Río roster. In his seven prior seasons with the team he hit .332 with 73 longballs and 326 RBIs.
Ramirez was one of the first players to leave Cuba following the ‘06 WBC, but he left via a marriage visa to the Dominican Republic, but once there he decided to apply for MLB free agency. On December 21, 2007, he signed a four-year contract with the Chicago Whitesox. In 2008 the native of Pinar del Rio, Cuba made the Southsiders opening day roster by winning a job straight out of Spring Training.
The infielder was a hit with the ball club that season collecting his first hit on April 2nd of that year and he smashed his first home run off Giants reliever Billy Sadler on May 16th. He set a major league rookie record with four grand slams that season and hit .290 with 21 dingers, while also driving in 77 runs. He was the eventual runner up for the AL rookie of the year that season. In his career, Ramirez was a two-time silver slugger winner, one-time all-star, and hit .270 during his time on the grand stage. He also had over a thousand hits and 100 round-trippers.
Alexei Ramírez en la preselección de Pinar del Río para la venidera #SNB63 2024, a sus 42 años y luego de nueve temporadas en Grandes Ligas, 2008-2016, ocho de ellas con Chicago #WhiteSox, el Campeón Olímpico de Atenas 2004, se espera que se desempeñe nuevamente en la Serie… pic.twitter.com/Z073cLKf1M
— Drian Bernal ⚾️ / 🇨🇺🇪🇨 (@Drianrogelio) January 6, 2024
Players who have returned to the Serie Nacional:
Roberto Baldoquín SS (LAA,STL)
Yadil Mujica SS (NYY)
Yadir Drake OF (LAD)
Rubi Silva OF (CHC)
Dariel Álvarez OF (BAL)
Rusney Castillo OF (BOS,WAS)
Jorge Hernández RHP (BOS)
Yasmany Tomás 3B-1B-OF (ARI,WAS)
Erisbel Arruebarruena SS (LAD)
Roberto Hernández RHP (CLE)
Jonathan Cruz RHP (MIL)
Leslie Anderson IF-OF (TAM)
Yoilan Cerce IF (BOS)
Yuniesky Betancourt IF (SEA,KC,MIL)
Yoenis Céspedes OF (OAK,BOS, DET,NYM)*
Alexei Ramírez SS (TAM,CHW,SD)*
*Will return to the Serie Nacional in 2024.