Cuban Iván Prieto, who left the Cuban team in Miami during the V World Baseball Classic (WBC)signed with the Piratas de Campeche team, from Mexicohis first contract as a professional, which would begin as soon as he regularizes his immigration status in the United States, according to various sources.
The recipient, 26, decided not to return to Cuba after the semifinal game of the tournament that the representative of the island lost with a score of 2-12, and a few days later he agreed to be represented by the company Leona Sports, specialized in the management of Latino players, including twenty Cubans.
I feel very happy to be able to help another Cuban in his dreams of playing professional baseball, I am very pleased to have been able to sign Cuban catcher Ivan Prieto with Mexico. Our agency represents 25 Cuban baseball players
— Carlos Perez (@cperez58) April 4, 2023
One of its directors, agent Carlos Pérez, confirmed the news through his Twitter account, and stated that he felt “very happy to be able to help another Cuban in his dreams of playing professional baseball.”
Several of Leona Sports’ clients work in professional circuits in different countries, including Mexico, where they intend to exhibit their talent in search of realizing their aspirations of climbing to the level of the Major League Baseball (MLB).
Prieto was not part of the official roster that represented Cuba in the World Classic, but he was incorporated into the group as a bullpen catcher and traveled with the team during their preparation in Japan and then to the venues of qualifying group A, in the Taiwanese city of Taichung, and to the crossing of the quarterfinals in Tokyo.
Before his decision to disassociate himself from the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB), the player had participated in eight editions of the National Series wearing the colors of the Holguín and Granma teams, and standing out as one of the most offensive players in his position. .
Due to his age and experience, he meets the requirements demanded by the MB to be considered as a free agent in the near future, which would make it easier for him to negotiate without restrictions with any franchise on the most demanding professional baseball circuit.
Pirates of Campeche It began its history in the Mexican Baseball League (LMB) in 1980, after the acquisition of the Alacranes de Durango. Three years later they won their first league title, a result they repeated in 2004, in both cases under the command of De Francisco “Paquín” Estrada.
In the last campaign they filed discreet results and finished in the penultimate place in the South Division with a negative balance of 29-55.
Yariel Rodríguez breaks with Cuba and begins his path to the MLB
To straighten the course of the ship, the board brought in manager Oswaldo Morejón and summoned almost 60 players to complete the preseason, including several Cubans such as Yuddiel González, Sandy Yánez, Yosuán Hernández and Edaín Román.
According to published information On his website, other players born on the island, such as Guillermo Avilés and Yunieski Larduet, are also expected to be in the cast.
