In what could be a record number of Cubans playing in the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol this season, three more from the Largest of the Antilles have added themselves to the list. Yunesky Maya, Josh Fuentes and Yurisbel Gracial will play in the Aztec circuit this year.
Maya who pitched in the LMB last year with Mexico City and Oaxaca posted a 5-3 record, 4.43 earned run and fanned 55 hitters in 87 ⅓ innings pitched in the Mexican League. The right-hander only hurled five frames this winter in the LIDOM with the Águilas Cibaeñas due to an arm injury.
Fuentes returns to Yucatán after playing last season in the Atlanta Braves farm system. In 2022 with the Leones, the cousin of Nolan Arenado hit .299 with 10 longballs and 29 RBIs in only 40 games. Due to the fact that Fuentes’ father is Mexican he will play as a native in the league. Expect the infielder to be a key piece to an already potent offense for Yucatán.
The experienced Gracial, who has seen action in Canada, Japan and the international circuit with Cuba will add a veteran presence that still has a lot left in the tank to Querétaro. The slugger saw action in the World Baseball Classic, Pan-American Games and Central American Games this season, while also hitting .390 with six roundtrippers and 37 runs batted with Matanzas of the Serie Nacional.
Yunesky Maya (@GuerrerosOax ), Yurisbel Gracial (@ConspiradoresQr ) and Josh Fuentes (@leonesdeyucatan ) have signed to play in the @LigaMexBeis .#CubanBaseballDigest #LigaMexBeis pic.twitter.com/8doPawz4cF
— Cuban Baseball Digest (@CBaseballDigest) February 8, 2024
Cubans who have signed to play in the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol:
Eddy Díaz IF (León)
Luis Avilés Jr IF-OF (Veracruz)
Rubi Silva IF-OF (Querétaro)
Carlos Juan Viera RHP (Querétaro)**
Jorge Martínez RHP (Querétaro)
Miguel Romero RHP (Querétaro)
Yosmany Guerra IF (Querétaro)
Leonys Martín OF (Querétaro)
Rusney Castillo OF (Querétaro)
Roberto Baldoquín IF (Querétaro)
Yurisbel Gracial IF-OF (Querétaro)
Elían Leyva RHP (Yucatán)
Odrisamer Despaigne RHP (Yucatán)
Onelki García LHP (Yucatán)
Lázaro Alonso (Yucatán)
Yadir Drake IF-OF (Yucatán)
Josh Fuentes IF (Yucatán)*
Darién Núñez LHP (Tijuana)
Peter O’Brien IF-OF (Puebla)
Luis Medina IF (Puebla)
Yoelquis Guibert OF (Jalisco)**
Maikel Serrano IF-OF (Jalisco)
Félix Pérez IF-OF (Tabasco)
Adeiny Hechavarría SS (Tabasco)
Alejandro Rivero IF (Chihuahua)
Orlando Rodríguez RHP (Oaxaca)
Pablo Guillen RHP (Oaxaca)
Yunesky Maya RHP (Campeche)
*Cuban-American
** Affiliated with FCB