On December 24, 2025, Christmas Eve, Alexei Ramírez, at 44 years of age, reached a historic milestone by becoming the only player to swat at least 100 home runs and 1,000 hits in both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Cuban National Baseball Series (SNB).
“El Pirineo” as he is called has always been a fan favorite amongst the Cuban faithful. The infielder-outfielder was a part of the 2006 Cuban World Baseball Classic squad and amongst the first to decide to play professionally, when he left via a marriage visa to the Dominican Republic in 2007.
Later that year he signed a 4-year, 8-million dollar contract with the Chicago White Sox. Ramírez is one of four players to make the jump directly to the Major Leagues from the Serie Nacional, José Abreu, Yoenis Céspedes and José Contreras are the others. In 2008 the native of Pinar del Rio, Cuba made the Southsiders opening day roster by winning a job straight out of Spring Training.
Ramírez decided to return to the Serie Nacional for the 2024 tournament that commenced in early March of that year. The infielder was listed on the Vegueros de Pinar del Río roster in the preseason giving away his intentions. In his seven prior seasons with the team he hit .332 with 73 longballs and 326 RBIs.
The multi-talented Ramírez was a hit with the ball club that season collecting his first hit on April 2nd of that year and he smashed his first home run off Giants reliever Billy Sadler on May 16th. He set a major league rookie record with four grand slams that season and hit .290 with 21 dingers, while also driving in 77 runs. He was the eventual runner up for the AL rookie of the year that season. In his career, Ramirez was a two-time silver slugger winner, one-time all-star, and hit .270 during his time on the grand stage. He also had over a thousand hits and 100 round-trippers
Players who have returned to the Serie Nacional from the MLB system:
Roberto Baldoquín SS (LAA,STL)
Yadil Mujica SS (NYY)
Yadir Drake OF (LAD)
Rubi Silva OF (CHC)
Dariel Álvarez OF (BAL)
Rusney Castillo OF (BOS,WAS)
Jorge Hernández RHP (BOS)
Yasmany Tomás 3B-1B-OF (ARI,WAS)
Erisbel Arruebarruena SS (LAD)
Roberto Hernández RHP (CLE)
Jonathan Cruz RHP (MIL)
Leslie Anderson IF-OF (TAM)
Yoilan Cerce IF (BOS)
Yuniesky Betancourt IF (SEA,KC,MIL)
Alexei Ramírez SS (TAM,CHW,SD)*