Outfielder Andy Pagés will play for Cuba in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Yordano Carmona from our sister page Pelota Cubana Usa was the first to report. Pagés now joins Ernesto Martínez Jr, Andy Ibáñez and Yoan Moncada as players from the MLB/ MiLB system confirming their participation with Cuba in the upcoming WBC tournaments.
Andy Pagés has had a decent first year in the majors with the Dodgers. In 116 games the native of Pinar del Río, Cuba slashed .248/.305/.407/.712 with 13 longballs,23 doubles and 46 run batted in. During the postseason Pagés was used sparingly by the team from tinsel town, but did have a two homer Game 5 against the Mets in the NLCS.
In total during the playoffs the young Cuban hit .211 in 19 at-bats and knocked in four runs to go along with his two roundtrippers. With Dodgers win against the Yankees in the last World Series Pages joins Orlando Hernández and Bárbaro Garbey as the only Cubans to win a World Series title in their rookie seasons.
On another front the names of Miguel Vargas, Yosver Zulueta and Adrián Morejón have been talked about by the inner circle of the FCB and will be contacted an offered a chance to play in the WBC. What is not clear at this moment is whether said players would interested in participating with Cuba in the event.
As of right now these are the confirmed names for Cuba in the upcoming World Baseball Classic:
OF Andy Pagés (Los Angeles Dodgers)
IF-OF Ernesto Martínez Jr (Milwaukee Brewers)
IF Yoan Moncada (Los Angeles Angels)
IF Andy Ibáñez (Detroit Tigers)
1B Ariel Martínez (Nippon Ham Fighters)
RHP Raidel Martínez (Yomiuri Giants)
LHP Liván Moinelo (SoftBank Hawks)
LHP Dario Sarduy (SoftBank Hawks)
SS Cristhian Rodríguez (Chunichi Dragons)
RHP Frank Abel Álvarez (Guerreros de Oaxaca)
Roel Santos OF (Olmecas de Tabasco)