The baseball prospect from Sancti Spíritus, Jonathan Raúl Delgado, son and grandson of two prominent players from that province, left the country recently with his mother to settle in the Dominican Republic.
According to the information reported on his website by journalist Francys Romero, Jonathan Raúl Delgado is a promising 15-year-old switch hitter whose future intention is to sign a contract with Major League Baseball.
Grandson of José Raúl Delgado and son of the late Yoanys Delgado, the teenager stands 1.90 meters tall, weighs 198 pounds, and, like his predecessors, plays as a catcher.
It was in the Dominican Republic where Jonathan Raúl participated in March of this year with the national Under-15 team in the Pre-World Cup, in which the Cubans did not qualify for the World Cup of this category.
"Delgado had a limited role because he was one of the youngest in the team, but he showed signs of his talent with a home run on the field and batting with both hands," Romero pointed out.
The communicator added that the teenager "can play multiple positions in defense, which is very important in modern baseball" and also highlighted that "he plays in both the outfield and at third base and catcher."
From that Cuba team that participated in the Under-15 World Cup Qualifiers, six players have already escaped from the island, including Jonathan.
His grandfather is José Raúl Delgado, a catcher for twenty seasons in the National Series and who was part of the Cuba team between 1989 and 1993, as well as winning the gold medal at the Barcelona 92 Olympic Games.
From his father, Yoanny Delgado, Francys Romero pointed out that "he was another great talent at a young age who could not solidify in the National Series with Sancti Spiritus." Yoanny Delgado passed away in September 2021 after spending several days fighting against Covid-19.
Jonathan Raúl is also related to the famous Gurriel family, one of the most prominent families in Cuban baseball, who are his cousins.
"Jonathan Raúl must continue progressing with more professional and specialized training in the Dominican Republic," pointed out Romero, who added that the most important thing with this type of talent is that he has the opportunity and time to refine his skills.
"Delgado now begins a long journey. Neither his grandfather nor his father could sign with an MLB franchise. Now the young prospect will try to navigate a very different path," he concluded.
The young player will be eligible to sign with a Major League organization starting on January 15, 2026.
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