Yasiel Puig, with 16 home runs, was declared the first Cuban winner of the Home Run Derby of the Mexican Baseball League (LMB), held on Sunday night at Beto Ávila Stadium in Veracruz.
A member of the Veracruz Eagles team, the former Major Leaguer fell just one home run short of tying the record for most hits in the final round of this event.
The competition system for this Derby in the LMB includes three rounds, the Cuban player hit a total of 26 home runs, combining all three stages.
Kyle Martin from Guerreros de Oaxaca supported him in the competition, hitting only seven out of the park.
The positions in the first round were: Kennys Vargas (7), Kyle Martin (6), Yasiel Puig (5), and Art Charles (2), leaving out four other players.
For the second round, the rankings changed to: Kyle Martin (8), Yasiel Puig (5), Art Charles (4), and Kennys Vargas (1).
When adding up the total number of home runs, Kyle Martin (14) and Yasiel Puig (10) advanced to the third phase, becoming finalists in the competition.
Puig is coming off an excellent winter season with the Tiburones de la Guaira, belonging to the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP). The Cienfuegos native ended up hitting 16 home runs and driving in 38 runs in 42 games played in Venezuela.
After seven years in the Majors, wearing the uniforms of the Dodgers, Reds, and Cleveland between 2013 and 2019, the Cuban player has not been able to find his way back to the Major Leagues. Since then, he has played in Mexico, Korea, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela, according to MLB.
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