With the winter league season a couple of months away plenty of Cubans have signed to see action over the last few months and expect to extend the Cuban dominance in these circuits.
After a heralded career in the LIDOM with the Tigres del Licey, Leones del Escogido and the Águilas Cibeañas right-hander Yunesky Maya won 22 games and posted a 2.84 earned run average. “The Warrior” will now playing in the Liga Venezolana de,Béisbol Profesional and the Tigres de Aragua. After missing most of the season last winter in Dominican Republic, he pitched sparingly with the Águilas and signed to reinforce the Cardenales de Lara of the LVBP.
Bluejays prospect Lázaro Estrada will see action in the LIDOM with the Leones del Escogido and figures to get a lot of work ad a starter for the club from the Dominican capital city. This season between A-AA the righty has a 2-7 record, 2.43 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 66⅔ innings pitched as a starter over that span.
Fellow Bluejays prospect and right-hander Rafael Sánchez will see action with the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente’s Cangrejeros de Santurce, a storied ballclub in the circuit. In the Canadian’s squad farm system Sánchez has a 5-2 record and 4.03 ERA. In 82⅔ innings pitched the hurler has fanned 93 batters on the campaign.
Cubans that have signed winter league deals:
LIDOM:
Henry Urrutia IF-DH (Gigantes)
Andy Rodríguez RHP (Águilas)
Dairon Blanco OF (Estrellas)
Luis Avilés IF (Estrellas)
Jorge Martínez RHP (Estrellas)
Jimmy Yacabonis RHP (Toros)
Raúl Valdés LHP (Toros)
Lázaro Estrada RHP (Escogido)
Liga ARCO:
Yasmany Tomás IF (Los Mochis)
Ronald Bolaños RHP (Los Mochis)
Victor Labrada OF (Guasave)
Yadir Drake IF-Of (Guasave)
Yoel Yanqui IF (Mazatlán)
LVBP:
Leonys Martín OF (La Guaira)
Miguel Romero RHP (La Guaira)
Yunesky Maya RHP (Aragua)
LBPRC:
Rafael Sánchez RHP (Santurce)
LBPN:
Carlos Juan Viera RHP (Rivas)
Yuniesky García RHP (Rivas)
*Cuban-American