Madrid Spain.- To the long list of baseball players who have left Cuba in recent times, they recently joined Dairon Pimentel and Juan Miguel Fernández from Mayabeque, and Roberto Álvarez from Matanzas.
Dairon Pimentel and Juan Miguel Fernández arrived in the United States through the Central American migration route.
Pimentel managed to complete the journey in less than a month. The infielder was among the first batters in Nacional 15-16 in 2020 with a .376 average. In the National Junior Championship held on the Island, he had currently participated in 12 games, alternating between third base and center field.
However, Juan Miguel Fernández had less luck on his journey to the United States.
As reported to Cubaliteleft the country for Nicaragua on March 9 and the journey lasted 61 days. From there he traveled to Honduras, then to Guatemala and later to Mexico, where he was arrested twice. The first time he crossed to California and they returned him, and the second time he did it through Arizona, where he “had no more problems and they did the papers for him.”
“Today I will start training. I’ve been two and a half months without doing anything, without throwing a ball, without touching weights, without running. I am going to prepare myself to see what happens, I will continue until I achieve my dream, which is to play professionally”, said the 21 year old pitcher.
Fernández had debuted in the National Series 60, last year, with the Hurricanes of Mayabeque.
For his part, outfielder Roberto Álvarez is already in the Dominican Republic, from where he will try to be declared a free agent and then sign with a Major League organization, according to the journalist. Francis Romero.
Álvarez was part of the Matanzas team that traveled to Nicaragua in 2020 to participate in a confrontation cap. In 2021 he joined the Cuba U-23 team that competed in the Junior Pan American in Barranquilla, Colombia.
He played in the current 61st National Series with the Matanzas Crocodiles.
OF Roberto Álvarez (23) left Cuba in the last hours according to sources. He will be looking to sign with a major league organization. The exodus does not stop. https://t.co/B88huDhP7m
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) May 14, 2022
Recent exodus of Cuban baseball players
Also this month the gardener arrived in the Dominican Republic Christopher Perezwho joined the Cuba team in lower categories.
In March, the leader of the U15 national baseball team arrived in the Dominican Republic, Maykol Valdivia Brown; the Santiago prospect Yorelquis Hernández and Danell Figueroa from Matanzas.
While in 2021 the prospects left the Island Christian Saez (14 years), Rafael Alvarez (16 years old), Raico Quiñones (16 years old), Brayan San Juan (16 years old) and Norlis García (18 years old). All hoping to try their luck in the MLB.
Among the most experienced were second baseman César Prieto and pitchers Lázaro Blanco and Andy Rodríguez, who “dropped out” during the Americas Qualifiers, held in June in the US.
During the U-23 World Cup held in Mexico, half of the team left the national team: Loidel Chapellí Jr., Yandi Yanes, Geisel Cepeda, Bryan Chi, Miguel Antonio González, Yeinel Zayas, Luis Danys Morales, Uber Mejías, Dariel Fernández, Loidel Rodríguez, Reinaldo Lazaga and Diasmany Palacios.
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