Santiago native Harol Vázquez shocked many with the revelation that he was returning to Cuba to play in the Serie Nacional. The ex-member of the Cuban Professional Baseball Federation (FEPCUBE) not only shocked the organization, but also disappointed many in the exile community.
Unfortunately, FEPCUBE was unable to participate in the Intercontinental Series ultimately leading to the cancelation of the tournament due to external pressures from the Cuban regime on the Colombian government. Eventually the Federation had to settle for playing exhibition matches against North American teams.
The catcher appeared on the team’s roster for the tournament and was the backup to Whitesox’s prospect Edgar Quero. Vázquez, 22 years old, played with Santiago de Cuba in the 61st National Series (2021-2022), batting .232 (56-13) in 29 games, swatting two doubles, two triples and the same number of homers, nine RBIs and posted an OPS of .725.
Vázquez left Cuba in November 2022, when he was listed among the best U-23 prospects in Cuba. He had previously been removed from the national team before the World Cup that year in Taichung, along with his countryman Liván Moreno, for reasons related to Military Service.
In March 2023 he was declared a free agent and was eligible to sign with Major League organizations. Just last Monday, the colleague Francys Romero reported that he was still training in the Dominican Republic and scheduling showcases for teams interested in the young catcher’s services.
In a twist of fate Vázquez is returning to a country that ostracized him and rejecting possible offers from MLB ballclubs to play practically for free in Cuba. In the opinion of many this is a classic case of Stockholm Syndrome if I’ve ever seen one. Do not be surprised if the catcher appears with Cuba in the Premier 12.