The LBPRC opens its season November 6th and there will be a good amount of Cubans playing in the circuit. With more announcements on signings pending, expect the amount of Antilleans in the league to increase.
The biggest signing so far amongst Cubans seems to be ex-major leaguer Aledmys Díaz who inked a deal with the Criollos de Caguas yesterday. The infielder played this summer in the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol with Dos Laredos and Yucatán hitting .280 with 16 homeruns and 54 runs batted in over 76 with the Aztec squads.
Current major leaguer Lázaro Estrada will make his winter league debut with the Cangrejeros de Santurce. The hard-throwing righty made his MLB debut as well this campaign with the Toronto Bluejays posting a 8.59 earned run average and 10 strikeouts in 7⅓innings pitched.
Rafael Sánchez who is a teammate with Estrada in the Bluejays farm system will also be teammates with his countrymen on the Cangrejeros de Santurce’s roster. The right-hander had a 2-8 record and 5.54 ERA over 19 starts with New Hampshire (AA).
Power-hitting catcher Adrián Del Castillo will also return to the Cangrejeros de Santurce. The Cuban-American who will play with Puerto Rico in the WBC will use the circuit to prepare himself for the tournament. In 44 games with the Diamondbacks hit .242 with four homeruns and 17 runs batted in.
Cubans that will see action in the LBPRC this winter:
Josimar Cousin RHP (Mayagüez)
Sandy Gastón RHP (Carolina)
Pedro Santos RHP (Carolina)
Lázaro Estrada RHP (Santurce)
Rafael Sánchez RHP (Santurce)
Adrián Del Castillo C (Santurce)*
Franny Cobos RHP (Ponce)
Aledmys Díaz IF (Caguas)
*Cuban-American