The wait is over. The 30 Cuban players who will defend the four-letter suit in the sixth edition of the World Baseball Classic, scheduled to begin next March 5, are now known. The Antillean squad, led by Germán Mesa, will have 28 men with experience in various professional circuits, although only two of them (Yariel Rodríguez and Yoan Moncada) will jump to the MLB diamonds in 2025.
The Antillean squad is made up of 14 position players and 16 pitchers, among whom 13 are repeating from the last Classic. The group highlights a dozen players signed by Major League organizations or who worked at different professional levels in the United States in 2025.
“It has been one of the most difficult moments I have experienced in forming a team. We put together an ideal squad to compete, but along the way, for various reasons, some players decided not to join the roster. I see what we have now as quite competitive,” mentor Germán Mesa told national television after the roster was announced, from which several key figures have fallen in recent weeks.
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Names like Andy Pagés, Ernesto Martínez Jr., Andy Ibáñez, Víctor Labrada, Daysbel Hernández and Lázaro Estrada were in the plans of the Cuban management, but they finally decided not to play in the Classic.
These movements left the Caribbean team without several MLB-level players among the 30, but the capital mentor highlighted that they have a group of boys who have worked in the Minor Leagues and still have aspirations of reaching the Major Leagues. “That is an additional motivation for them; in the Classic they will be able to show themselves,” said Germán.
“El Mago”, who faces his first experience as director of a Cuban team at the highest level, pointed out that he has his preconceived idea regarding the starting lineup, but there is still a way to go. “Now we have the Americas Series, training in Nicaragua and matches in Arizona. That’s where it will be decided who plays,” Mesa said.
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One of the features that distinguishes the Cuban team is the inclusion of 20 players who, at some point in their lives, decided to emigrate. In the not-so-distant past, these men could not be part of a national team, but positions on the matter have become slightly more flexible on the island. Even a man who did not finish with a contract managed by the Cuban Federation (FCB) and was sued for it has been summoned for the imminent edition of the Classic.
“As for pitcher Yariel Rodríguez, the evaluations that led to his inclusion took into account that, in addition to his repeated interest in joining the team and the quality that supports him, he has complied with what was agreed with the parties after abandoning the contract that covered his performance in Japan,” said a statement from the FCB.
The team
The Cuban roster is made up of two catchers, including Andrys Pérez, one of the two players on the team who does not have any experience in professional leagues outside the island. The Matanzas native will be accompanied by Omar Hernández, currently affiliated with the Kansas City Royals, with an invitation to spring training in 2026.
He infield It will be guarded by the experienced Erisbel Arruebarruena and Alexei Ramírez, who returns to the Classics after his foray into the first edition of the event 20 years ago. Both “El Grillo” and “El Pirineo” have played exclusively in the National Series in recent months.
The rest of the team is made up of Ariel Martínez, a figure in the Japanese League, and four men who belong to Major League organizations: Yiddi Cappe (Miami Marlins), Yoan Moncada (Los Angeles Angels), Malcom Núñez (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Alexander Vargas (Cincinnati Reds).
The outfield, which seems to be the weakest part of the team, has the veteran Alfredo Despaigne, and the virtuoso left-handed hitters Roel Santos and Yoelquis Guibert. In addition, they called up the speedy Leonel Moas Jr. and the Santiago slugger Yoel Yanqui, who in his entire professional career has not played more than 40 games on the prairies.
Meanwhile, the long list of pitchers is headed by Yariel Rodríguez, the only pitcher who worked in MLB in 2025. The man from Camagüey will be one of the relievers on the roster by express indication of his organization, the Toronto Blue Jays, which authorized his presence on the condition that he did not exceed two innings of work for each outing.
At the top of the staff are also the stars Liván Moinelo and Raidel Martínez, impassable in Japan with Softbank and Yomiuri, respectively. Another contracted in Japanese lands with Chunichi, left-hander Randy Martínez, will make his debut in the Classic.
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Among the other pitchers are Yoan López (Águilas Cibaeñas), Julio Robaina (Algodoneros de Guasave), Darién Núñez (Leones del Esgido), Osiel Rodríguez (Bravos de León), Luis Miguel Romero Jr. (Leones de Caracas), Josimar Cousín (Rieleros de Aguascalientes) and Frank Abel Álvarez, the latter with very little work in recent months due to an injury.
There are also Daviel Hurtado (Mets), Emmanuel Chapman (Pirates) and Naykel Cruz (Baltimore), all affiliated with MLB organizations. Finally, free agents Denny Larrondo and Pedro Santos appear, who worked in the Minor Leagues in 2025.
In the management team, along with Germán Mesa, will be Noelvis González (Bench Coach), Humberto Guevara (Physical Trainer), Omar Linares (Batting Coach), Cecilio Javier Drake (First-Class Coach), Rafael Muñoz (Third-Side Coach) and the pitching coaches Pedro Luis Lazo and Jesús Bosmenier.
The Cuban route
Eight of the Cuban players who make up the final roster for the sixth edition of the World Classic will have a warm-up opportunity starting this Friday in Caracas, Venezuela, where the Americas Series is being played. From a competitive point of view, this will be the starting test for these men, who will then travel to Nicaragua for a training base and four confrontation matches.
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Then Cuba has two meetings scheduled in Arizona at the beginning of March, when all those who are in spring training will have joined the roster. In the northern city they will play two other preparation duels against the Kansas City Royals and the Cincinnati Reds.
The next stop will then be in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where group A of the Clásico will be played. There, Panama, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Canada will be measured in this order. A path of thorns.
