At the beginning of May, the name of Javier Mirabal appeared in the list of 25 Cuban athletes and a coach hired abroad. The 26-year-old baseball player from Placetas (Villa Clara) was negotiated by the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) to join the Mexican team Olmecas de Tabasco. Two months later, he requested his discharge and canceled the contract that the Cuban authorities had planned for him.
On July 19, two days after Mirabal broke his ties with the FCB, the journalist Francys Romero confirmed that the player had indeed arrived in Mexico, but with another objective: to get a contract, by himself, with an Aztec team and, eventually, make the leap to the US Major Leagues. That day, the website USA Cuban Ball announced that Mirabal had already obtained the contract I longed for. He would play with the Tijuana Bulls.
The architect of the agreement was the Cuban representative living in Miami Carlos Pérez, through his agency Leona Sports. Pérez also represents athletes Raúl Valdés, Edwin Ríos, Tayron Guerrero and Yandy Díaz, as well as baseball players Loidel Rodríguez and Bryan Chi, who were part of the dozen Cubans who he eloped in Mexico during the Under-23 Championship in 2021.
Mirabal was part of the national team that placed fourth in the V World Baseball Classic in 2023. In addition, he was part of the Cuban delegation at the Central American and Caribbean Games
Mirabal was part of the national team that placed fourth in the V World Baseball Classic in 2023. In addition, he was part of the Cuban delegation at the Central American and Caribbean Games. Added to this are eight National Series with the Villa Clara uniform.
Last week Alexei Ricardo and Yotuel Ávila also left the island. The departures of the Island of the baseball players prevails in this year. In recent weeks, according to data published by Romero, José Luis Cerice, Roibelis Liranza, Yasiel González, Yotuel Ávila and Javier Mirabal have also emigrated.
Ricardo took a flight to the Dominican Republic. At the age of 21, in the 62nd National Series playing for the Alazanes de Granma, he posted an ERA of 2.06. in 43.2 innings he struck out 28 opponents. He reaches 93 miles with his fastball.
At the age of 18, Yotuel Ávila also decided to emigrate to the Dominican Republic. This man from Holguín became the best left-handed pitcher in the last Under-18 National Championship in 2023. “Before his departure, Ávila had been promoted to the National Series with the Holguín Cubs,” Romero stressed. “He had an opening of three innings with two runs allowed, four strikeouts and four walks.”
Ávila will train and be represented by Born to Play, the academy run by Dominican businessman and agent Edgar Mercedes.
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