The Cuban baseball player Ariel Pestano Jr., son of the former Cuba team catcher, Ariel Pestano, arrived in the United States on Monday after waiting several months in Mexico for his interview with CBP One.
Very soon, Pestano will be on the playing field to try to make a working agreement with any professional franchise a reality, as reported on X by journalist Yusseff Díaz, who broke the news.
The same source revealed that the 26-year-old from Villa Clara is represented by the agency A & F Sports Agency.
"I had spent a few days training with the Cañeros de los Mochis, and now I will try to relaunch my sports career as soon as I regularize my immigration status," indicated journalist Yasel Porto on Facebook.
Porto also wished him "success in his new stage of life, whether as a player or in any role he chooses. The important thing is to move forward with honest and fruitful work."
While he was in Mexico, the executives of Guerreros de Oaxaca and Cañeros de Los Mochis, teams in the Mexican Professional League, offered him an opportunity and included him in their practices, where the son of the sporting glory of the same name refined some aspects of his performance.
In an interview with the magazine Pelota Cubana, the catcher explained that he joined the training sessions to stay in shape while waiting for his entry into the United States, although he emphasized that his intention was to seek opportunities in more competitive leagues, such as those in the United States or Asia.
"My main goal is to work hard to get in shape and, once I'm ready, to present myself in showcases. I will do my best to sign with an MLB organization, Asia, or whatever God has planned for me, to continue playing professionally," he specified.
Pestano Jr. requested to leave Cuban baseball at the end of May to travel to Nicaragua with the purpose of reaching the southern border of the United States while waiting for his appointment with CBP One. Subsequently, several media outlets reported on his trip to Nicaragua on the airline Conviasa, which connects Havana with Managua.
Ariel Pestano Jr. competed in six National Series in Cuba between 2017 and 2024. In his last season with Villa Clara, he averaged .276 (190 AB; 50 H) with eight doubles, seven home runs, 37 RBIs, and an OPS of .829.
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