The pitcher from Santiago Ubert Luis Mejia Rodriguez (20 years old) has been the second player to leave the Cuban team during the Baseball World Cup (U-23 Category) based in Mexico, sources confirmed to sports journalist Francys Romero.
The report indicates that Mejías left the hotel where the Cuban team is concentrated this Thursday and is currently at an unknown location.
Mejías –Romero points out– “he threw deliveries in the 90-92 mile range in the preparation games leading up to the tournament.” He was also “the only Cuban, along with Loidel Chapellí Jr., to join the Cuba team heading to the U-15, U-18 and U-23 World Cups.”
Last Tuesday, pitcher Luis Danys Morales Aguilera (18 years old), one of the Island's most coveted prospects for the Major Leagues of Professional Baseball (MLB), He abandoned his team after landing at the Mexico City airport.
The baseball player He had been caught trying to leave the country in August 2020, but he was still included in the selection.
His "desertion" was confirmed that same day by the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB).
“We confirm that Luis Danys Morales Aguilera abandoned, after arriving in the capital of Mexico, the delegation that will represent us in the U-23 World Baseball Championship. Determined to fulfill their commitment, the remaining participants travel to Ciudad Obregón, headquarters of our group,” the brief statement underlined.
Previously, the coach of the Cuban team, Eriel Sánchez, had removed key players such as Yunior Tur and Yosimar Cousin from the national team, ensuring that "it is not only looking at how much he hit, how much he threw, or how much he fielded, there are other aspects such as discipline , patriotism, etc.
At the last minute, the roster also underwent changes: the last registered were the outfielder from Pinar del Río Reinaldo Lazaga and the pitcher from Sancti Spiritus José Eduardo Santos, instead of the infielder from Granma Darlin Luis Jiménez and the ranger from Cienfuegos Luis Enrique González.
None of these measures have been able to stop the exodus of Cuban baseball players, especially from the under-23 quarry. The trend of searching for and leaving the youngest Cuban talent (between 15 and 18 years old) has been a constant for at least four years. In 2019, more than 100 baseball players left Cuba, the average age of that hundred was 17.8 years. The following year, the "defections" were again in the news.
The Cuban team had scheduled its debut this Wednesday against the Dominican Republic. The match was suspended due to heavy rain.
According to Romero himself, the clash between Cubans and Dominicans is expected to be played next Tuesday, September 28, which had originally been set as a rest day.
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