Sources have told the Cuban Baseball Digest that Yadir Drake has signed with the Cardenales de Lara of the Venezuelan Professional Winter Baseball League. They are only waiting for the slugger’s visa to be approved before he joins the team.
While other sources have also told us that Odrisamer Despaigne will start the third game of the LIDOM finals for the Toros del Este and against the Leones del Escogido. The hurler was originally signed by the Águilas Cibaeñas in the Round Robin, but was picked by the team from La Romana in the reinsertion draft.
The Cuban slugger was a key part of the Águilas de Mexicali in the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico this winter slashing .274/.352/.440/.791 with eight homeruns, 45 runs batted in and 16 stolen bases. The native of Matanzas, Cuba has also seen action in the LVBP with the Leones del Caracas and Tiburones de La Guaira in the past.
In the case of Despaigne the right-hander was spectacular during the regular season with the Yaquis de Ciudad Obregón in the Liga ARCO as well. The hurler from Havana posted a 7-3 record, 2.95 earned run average and 43 strikeouts in 12 starts. Despaigne solidifies an already strong Toros’ pitching staff.