Ariel Pestano Jr., son of the legendary Cuban catcher Ariel Pestano, requested to leave Cuban baseball for good.
Dairon Pérez Urbano, a journalist from the CMHW La Reina Radial del Centro station, revealed on his Facebook wall that Pestano Jr., a catcher like his father, and Leandro Turiño, 32 years old, both from the Villa Clara team, officially requested their release.
The information was confirmed by Ramón Moré, director of the Leopardos team.
The departure of both players occurs during the National Series, when the Villa Clara team is in the fight to qualify among the top eight.
Pestano will remain in the lineup until the last moment, while Turino is no longer part of the team. Both departures were requested due to leaving the country," detailed the reporter.
Pestano Jr., who made his debut in the National Series in 2018, must meet up in the United States with his girlfriend, identified on Instagram as Mary Elizundia, who has been residing in that country for some time and works as a model.
The young man boasts a batting average of .266 in six series, and currently occupies the fourth batting position.
In his career, he has an OBP of .382, with 41 doubles, four triples, 11 home runs, 83 RBIs, and 169 runs batted in.
"It is one of the players who still remain in Cuba with the highest potential," said journalist Robiel Vega from the specialized portal Swing Completo.
On the other hand, Turiño, 32 years old, who bats and throws right-handed, is one of the most experienced players in the orange team, with 11 seasons in Cuban baseball, including the 2013 season, the last one in which the Leopards were national champions.
In 2019, he went to the Dominican Republic to try to get noticed by a Major League Baseball (MLB) talent scout, but after several failed attempts, he returned to the Cuban League in 2021.
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