One-time Giants prospect Yorlis Rodríguez has decided to return to the Serie Nacional and his native Indios de Guantánamo. Infielder from Baracoa, Cuba, a city belonging to the country’s easternmost most province is on the team’s preseason roster and figures to play a major role this season.
Rodríguez was a member for the Cuban teams in the lower categories, especially for the U-15 national team that took the crown in the World Championship in Mazatlán, Mexico during the 2014 tournament. In 2017 he signed as an international free agent with the San Francisco Giants franchise for a bonus of $300,000.
In his four minor league seasons with San Francisco, Rodríguez slashed a solid .272/.323/.412/.735, while going downtown 25 times and driving in 121 runs. The Cuban reached as high as Class-A in the organization’s farm system before being released in 2022.
Ex-@SFGiants prospect Yorlis Rodríguez will return to the @SerieNacional with the Indios de Guantánamo. #SerieNacional #CubanBaseballDigest pic.twitter.com/SjKmOOxhKm
— Cuban Baseball Digest (@CBaseballDigest) February 24, 2024
Players who have returned to the Serie Nacional/Liga Élite after signing with an MLB club:
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)
Alexei Ramírez SS (TAM,CHW,SD)*
Yorlis Rodríguez INF (SF)*
Alfredo Rodríguez INF (CIN,WAS)*
*Will return to the Serie Nacional in 2024.