Two more Cubans have made their way to winter league circuits via a new contract or have found a home in a new league. After having his contract canceled by the Tiburones de La Guaira before the season Geisel Cepeda signed with the Tigres de Chinandega of the Asociación Nicaragüense de Béisbol Profesional, while Yadiel Hernández formerly of the Águilas de Mexicali signed with snother set of Tigres, the ones from Aragua of the Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional.
Cepeda, an ex-MLB prospect had a strong season in the Liga Mayor de Venezuela this year slashing .413/.468/.513/.981 with three homeruns, 34 runs batted in and seven stolen bases in 167 at-bats with the Caciques del Distrito. The 27-year-old played two seasons in the Texas Rangers’ farm system reaching as far as Frisco (AA). In 147 games in the team’s minor league system he hit .247 with six longballs and 58 RBIs. The outfielder debut with an RBI in his first game with Chinandega.
In the case of Hernández he has a dismal start to his winter with the Águilas de Mexicali of the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico hitting .243 with two longballs and 11 runs batted in leading to his eventual release. During the summer in the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol the slugger hit .340 with 26 homeruns and finished second in runs batted in with the Tecolotes de Dos Laredos. Hernández adds a much needed power bat to the Tigres lineup.
Cubans that have signed with teams this winter:
LIDOM:
Dairon Blanco OF (Estrellas)
Coco Montes IF (Estrellas)*
Ernesto Martínez Jr IF-OF (Estrellas)
Darién Núñez LHP (Escogido)
César Prieto IF (Escogido)
Sal Stewart Jr IF (Escogido)*
Norge Ruiz RHP (Escogido)
Elían Leyva RHP (Escogido
Andrew Pérez LHP (Licey)*
Victor Labrada OF (Licey)
Armando Álvarez IF (Licey)*
Raynel Delgado IF (Águilas)
JC Escarra C-IF (Águilas)*
Yoán López (Águilas)
Carlos Rodríguez RHP (Toros)*
Jimmy Yacabonis RHP (Toros)*
Liga ARCO:
Albert Lara IF (Culiacán)
Orlando Martínez OF (Culiacán)
Julio Pablo Martínez OF (Culiacán)
Diosbel Arias IF (Culiacán)
Leonys Martín OF (Los Mochis)
Yurisbel Gracial IF-OF (Los Mochis)
Yasmany Tomás 1B (Los Mochis)
Yadir Drake IF-OF (Mexicali)
Yadiel Hernández OF (Mexicali)
Odrisamer Despaigne RHP (Obregón)
Vladimir Gutierrez RHP (Obregón)
Ariel Miranda LHP (Obregón)
Julio Robaina LHP (Guasave)
Oscar Colás OF (Guasave)
Félix Pérez 1B/DH (Nayarit)
Victor Mesa JR OF (Nayarit)
LVBP:
Geisel Cepeda OF (La Guaira)
Emmanuel Chapman RHP (La Guaira)
Rangel Ravelo IF-OF (Lara)
José Ramón Rodríguez RHP (Anzoátegui)
Miguel Romero RHP (Caracas)
Yasiel Puig OF (Magallanes)
Julio Rodríguez RHP (Magallanes)
Roel Santos OF (Islas Margarita)
Yoennis Yera LHP (Aragua)
Darién Núñez LHP (Aragua)
Yadiel Hernández OF (Aragua)
LBPRC:
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)
ABPN:
Maikol Pérez OF (Chinandega)
Geisel Cepeda OF (Chinandega)
Eddy Díaz IF(Chinandega)
Alay Lago IF (Tren del Norte)
Daniel Figueroa IF (El Tren del Norte)
Raico Santos OF (El Tren del Norte)
Yassel Pino OF (El Tren del Norte)
Yoel Yanqui IF (Bóer)
Yoelkis Guibert OF (Bóer)
Armando Dueñas RHP (Bóer)
Lázaro Alonso IF (Rivas)
Maikel Serrano OF (Rivas)
Henry Urrutia IF (Rivas)
*Cuban-American