Ariel Pestano Jr made a successful professional debut in the Atlantic League with the Charleston Dirty Birds last night against the Lexington Legends collecting his first professional hit in fifth inning of the contest with a single to left field. Charleston fell on the night by the count of 2-1.
Pestano Jr. had one hit in two at-bats, with one run scored, one walk and one strikeout. The ALPB was founded in 1998 and currently comprises ten teams, divided equally between the North and South Divisions. In 2024, the York Revolution crowned themselves champions of the circuit, defeating Charleston 3-0 in the final playoff.
The catcher is the son of the ex-Cuban legend Ariel Pestano, who was Cuba’s most decorated catcher and a hero up the country’s 2006 runner-up finish in the World Baseball Classic. The younger Pestano looks to establish himself as a force in the league and hopefully catch the eyes of an MLB organization Asian club.
Cubans signed in Independent Leagues:
Atlantic League:
Ariel Pestano Jr C (Charleston)
Jorge Martínez RHP (Hagerstown)
Franky Quintana RHP (Hagerstown)
Eddy Díaz IF (Staten Island)
American Association:
Yusniel Díaz OF (Lincoln)
Franny Cobos RHP (Lincoln)
Lázaro Armenteros OF (Kansas City)
Leam Méndez RHP (Kansas City)
Rogelio Quesada RHP (Fargo-Moorhead)
Orlando Rodríguez RHP (Fargo-Moorhead)
Willie Escala IF (Milwaukee)*
Frontier League:
Heisell Baro LHP (New England)*
Yassel Pino IF (Down East)
Juan Carlos Negret OF (Trois-Rivières)
Pioneer League:
Maikol Pérez OF (Ogden)
Intercounty League of Canada:
Yadian Martínez RHP (Kitchener)
Yankiel Mauri RHP (Kitchener)
Yosvani Peñalver OF (Kitchener)
Yordan Manduley IF (Kitchener)
Yunior Ibarra C (Kitchener)
Andy Vargas RHP (Kitchener)
*Cuban-American