Two other 13-year-old Cuban baseball players leave the country

Two young baseball talents in Cuba, only 13 years old, have left the country after their participation in the 2023 Little League Baseball.

Sports journalist Francys Romero reported the departure from Cuba of two young baseball promises,Samuel Palencia andLuisban Sánchez, both were part of the Bayamo team, which represented Cuba in the prestigiousLittle League Baseball World Series in 2023.

Samuel Palencia, an outstanding pitcher who impressed with 13 strikeouts in 5 innings against Australia, also served as a left fielder and hitter in the fifth position.

On the other hand,Luisban Sánchez, who played as third base and shortstop, in addition to batting in the third turn, achieved a notable performance with a triple and 3 RBIs against the Australian team.

Sánchez is in the Dominican Republic with his sights set on the Major Leagues, while Palencia opted to enter the United States through a humanitarian parole.

These young people, part of a generation that represents a light of hope for Cuban baseball, have taken routes that possibly permanently distance them from playing under the Cuban flag.

With them, there are now four athletes of the twelve who attended Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 2023, who decide to leave the country; a phenomenon that calls into question the management of sports in Cuba.

The case of Sánchez and Palencia is added to that ofLuis Enrique Gurriel Jr. and Luis Aparicio, increasing the list of athletes looking for opportunities outside the island.

This continuous exodus of players directly affects the future of Cuban baseball, considered the national sport, which sees its rising stars decide to build their sports careers in other latitudes.

In the current context of baseball on the island, plagued by difficulties and limitations, the abandonment of young talents has become an alarming fact.

It is worth delving into how this continuous wear and tear of human resources in sport impacts the competitive level that Cuba can maintain in the international arena, as well as the possibilities of renewal and strengthening of its national leagues.