The plethora of Cuban signings continue as the winter league seasons are looming. The latest transactions include players headed to the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente and Liga Nicaragüense de Béisbol Profesional. Pitchers Josimar Cousin (Mayagüez) and Yoanys Quiala (Ponce) are headed to Puerto Rico, while Alay Lago (El Tren del Norte) and Rusney Castillo (Rivas) are on their way to Nicaragua.
Cousin who is in the Chicago White Sox’s farm system spent this season at Birmingham (AA) and Charlotte (AAA) sporting a 0-1 record and a 2.97 earned run average in 28 games as a relief pitcher. The right-hander should reinforce the Indios bullpen for the upcoming season in the LBPRC
Quiala returns to Ponce where he had made two starts to close the season posting a 1-0 and did not allow a run. The righty was also with Monterrey last winter in the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico. The ex-Houston Astros’ prospect should pair with his countrymen Pedro Echemendia to give the felines two strong winter starters at the top of their rotation.
In Nicaragua Rusney Castillo who hit .351 with three longballs and 19 RBIs in 18 games with Querétaro of the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol will give Rivas a strong bat to reinforce their lineup, while Alay Lago who was the LBPN MVP in 2022 returns to El Tren del Norte for his fourth season with the ballclub. Last season Lago hit .329 in the LBPN.
Cubans in the Winters Leagues for 2024:
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)
Yoanys Quiala RHP (Ponce)
Aledmys Díaz IF (San Juan)
Josimar 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)
LBPN:
Yuniesky García RHP (Rivas)
Lázaro Alonso 1B (Rivas)
Rusney Castillo OF (Rivas)
Alay Lago IF (Tren del Norte)
*Cuban-American