With the Serie del Caribe kicking off yesterday with the champions from the Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican and Panamanian Winter Leagues, plus the runner-up in México set to square off for the championship of the Caribbean in a tournament.
Three Cubans are set to see action in the competition. Slugger Yohandy Morales is playing for Puerto Rico’s Cangrejeros de Santurce, while Yadir Drake and Odrisamer Despaigne will be with the Liga ARCO’s runner-up Tomateros de Culiacán.
Morales homered in four trips to the plate, a fourth inning two-run shot to help pace the Cangrejeros de Santurce to an opening game 5-4 win over the Tomateros de Culiacán in the Serie del Caribe yesterday. The native of Miami, who has been a key cog in the Puerto Rican squad’s title in the LBPRC also scored on an occasion on the day and sports a .250 average after the opening day of the event.
During the season with Santurce Morales hit .395 with a homerun and six runs batted in over the regular season. The Washington Nationals’ prospect is looking to be a breakout star during this edition of the Caribbean Classic.
For Culiacán, Yadir Drake also collected two hits in four trips, but did not score or drive in a run on the day for the Tomateros. The slugger from Matanzas, Cuba now hits .500 after the opening game of this round robin tournament. Drake had an outstanding season at the plate with Mexicali this season hitting .274 with eight longballs and 45 runs batted in over 67 games.
For Culiacán Odrisamer Despaigne is set to start the second game against Panamá (Chiriqui) on February 3rd. The right-hander had a stupendous season on the hill with the Yaquis de Ciudad Obregón in the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico. He 12 starts during the regular season of the Mexican circuit he posted a 7-3 record and a 2.95 earned run average.