Last week two more players of Cuban heritage have inked contracts with teams from the LIDOM for the upcoming winter league season. Power-hitting infielder Luis Avilés Jr signed with the Estrellas Orientales, while Cuban-American righty Jimmy Yacabonis will return to the Toros del Este. Both players are represented by Gladys Alonso of A&F Sports.
Avilés who is a winter league veteran played last season in the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico with the Yaquis of Ciudad Obregón. In 16 games with the Mexican club he hit .241 with nine runs batted, he last played in the LIDOM in 2019-2020 with the Tigres del Licey. The slugger is hitting .274 on the campaign in the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol.
In Yacabonis’ case his return to the Toros del Este is seen with excitement by the team’s front office, where he was lights out last season out of the pen. In 14 games last year with the Dominican squad in the LIDOM he did not allow an earned run and fanned 12 batters in 11⅔ innings pitched. Expect the right-hander to play a prominent role out the pen once again for the team this with the Toros. The hurler has a 2-1 record and 5.70 ERA with Diablos Rojos of México City this summer.
Cubans in the Winter Leagues:
LIDOM:
Henry Urrutia IF-DH (Gigantes)
Andy Rodríguez RHP (Águilas)
Yunesky Maya RHP (Águilas)
Dairon Blanco OF (Estrellas)
Luis Avilés IF (Estrellas)
Jorge Martínez RHP (Estrellas)
Jimmy Yacabonis RHP (Toros)*
Raúl Valdés LHP (Toros)
Liga ARCO:
Yasmany Tomás IF (Los Mochis)
Victor Labrada OF (Guasave)
Yoel Yanqui IF (Mazatlán)
LVBP:
Leonys Martín OF (La Guaira)
Miguel Romero RHP (La Guaira)
Lázaro Blanco RHP (Caracas)
LBPN;
Carlos Juan Viera RHP (Rivas)
*Cuban-American