The figure of Cuban prospects who began the route to the Major Leagues (MLB) during the current international signing period increased this Monday with the agreement between pitcher Alexander Valiente and the Toronto Blue Jays.
The young man from Guantanamo, who remained as a reserve for the team that represented the island in the past World Baseball Classic (WBC)agreed with the franchise based in Canada for a bonus of 75 thousand dollars, plus another 50 thousand destined to complete their studies, according to a report by specialized journalist Francys Romero.
Cuban RHP Alexander Valiente officially signed with the Toronto Blue Jays today.
Bonus deal: $75K plus $50K scholarship.
Fastball: 93/96 mph. Cuba’s U-23 team member at the 2022 World Cup. The photo also shows his brother Alfredo, who tragically passed away last year. pic.twitter.com/bfwdwfauGy
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) January 20, 2025
In reviewing the news, the website Pelota Cubana USA stood out that at the time of signing the player honored with a photo the memory of his brother Alfredo, also a pitcher who died in 2023, victim of a traffic accident that occurred in Nicaragua.
The note adds that Valiente is the second player born in the easternmost of the Cuban provinces to get a contract in the current international signing period, which began on January 15, when his countryman Yordan Rodríguez joined the Oakland Athletics .
In turn, he became the eighth active Cuban with the Blue Jays, who have Mariel Rodríguez, Lázaro Estrada, Yorman Licourt, Maykel Miñoso, Kendry Rojas, Rafael Sánchez and Silvano Hechevarría on their roster, most of them pitchers.
Valiente, only 22 years old, impressed the coaches of the Cuban team, who despite his young age, called him to the pre-selection prior to the Classic, and left him as a reserve along with other young and established players, all already out of the squad. island.
His numbers in three National Series and one edition of the Cuban Elite Baseball League (LEBC) were not impressive, but his speed and effectiveness in the minor categories were.
Remember the publication that at the beginning of 2023 transcended the interest that its conditions aroused in the scout of the SoftBank Falcons, of the Japan Professional League, but the contraction did not materialize.
He represented Cuba in international tournaments such as the U-23 World Cup, held three years ago in Taiwan, the Bahamas Caribbean Cup 2022 and the Gran Caracas Caribbean Series 2023, shortly before the ALBA Games tournament based in Venezuela. .
After requesting separation from the Cuban federation, he moved to the Dominican Republic, where he continued training with the purpose of fulfilling his dream of playing in the best baseball in the world.
Nearly twenty Cuban prospects have secured contracts with MLB franchises during the current international signing period, some rewarded with million-dollar bonuses.
Among the most outstanding agreements so far is that of Diego Tornés, a 16-year-old player who joined the Atlanta Braves for $2.5 million, considered one of the most complete exponents of his class.
