This winter the leagues in the Caribbean have signed plenty of Cubans to fill their needs for the upcoming seasons in the LIDOM, LBPRC, LVBP and Liga ARCO. As of the last week three more Cubans with big league experience have inked contracts with Caribbean circuits, they are Peter O’Brien (Magallanes)and Rangel Ravelo (Lara) in Venezuela, while Aledmys Díaz (San Juan) will play in Puerto Rico.
O’Brien who is of Cuban descent was a big acquisition for the Navegantes and expected to add some much needed power to the team’s lineup. This summer with Pericos de Puebla went yard 16 times in 73 games. Last winter in the Liga ARCO with Culiacán the went downtown 12 times. O’Brien is a Caribbean veteran who has been league MVP in the LIDOM and the Serie del Caribe, both in 2020.
In the case of Rangel Ravelo he returns to familiar surroundings in Lara with the Cardenales. The power-hitting infielder batted .333 in seven games with the Redbirds. The Cuban has hit 16 longballs on 116 games with Lara. Expect Ravelo to either DH or play first base for the Venezuelan squad. Ravelo has seen action in the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals and in Japan with the Orix Buffaloes.
Aledmys Díaz, who signed with the Senadores de San Juan saw action this year in the majors with the Oakland A’s and Houston Astros hitting .091 combined in 14 games . This will be the first time the utilityman has only played in one winter league game, with Culiacán in 2014. Díaz will play a major part with the team and will likely play various positions due to his versatility.
Cubans in the Winter Leagues:
LIDOM:
Henry Urrutia IF-DH (Gigantes)
Andy Rodríguez RHP (Águilas)
Vladimir Gutierrez RHP (Águilas)
Yadiel Hernández OF (Águilas)
JC Escarra C-IF (Águilas)*
Dairon Blanco OF (Estrellas)
Pedro León OF (Estrellas)
Julio Pablo Martínez 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)
Ronald Bolaños RHP (Los Mochis)
Roel Santos OF (Los Mochis)
Victor Labrada OF (Guasave)
Yadir Drake IF-Of (Guasave)
Yoel Yanqui IF (Mazatlán)
Diosbel Arias IF (Culiacán)
Odrisamer Despaigne RHP (Ciudad Obregón)
LBPRC:
Greg Veliz RHP (Carolina)*
Rafael Sánchez RHP (Santurce)
Lázaro Estrada RHP (Santurce)
Bryan Chi RHP (Santurce)
Félix Pérez DH-OF (Santurce)
Yanquiel Fernandez OF (Ponce)
Pedro Echmendia RHP (Ponce)
Aledmys Díaz IF (San Juan)
Yosimar Cousin RHP (Mayagüez)
LVBP:
Leonys Martín OF (La Guaira)
Miguel Romero RHP (La Guaira)
Erlys Casanova RHP (La Guaira)
Ariel Miranda LHP (La Guaira)
Yurisbel Gracial 3B-OF (La Guaira)
Yasiel Puig OF (La Guaira)
Yunesky Maya RHP (Aragua)
Yoanner Negrín RHP (Aragua)
Lázaro Blanco RHP (Aragua)
Carlos Juan Viera RHP (Aragua)
Onelki García LHP (Magallanes)
Peter O’Brien OF (Magallanes)*
José Ramón Rodríguez RHP (Anzoátegui)
Richard Guasch RHP (Anzoátegui)
Julio Robaina LHP (Caracas)
Rangel Ravelo IF-OF (Lara)
LBPN:
Yuniesky García RHP (Rivas)
Lázaro Alonso 1B (Rivas)
*Cuban-American