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The 14-year-old prospect from Tunero, Rafael Tarín, left Cuba in the last few hours and is now in the Dominican Republic, where he will seek to sign with a Major League Baseball (MLB) organization in the future, as reported by journalist and insider Francys Romero on his Facebook account.
Tarín, originally from Las Tunas, is regarded as one of the most promising young talents in recent Cuban baseball. In 2023, he was a member of the Cuba U-12 team, and a year later, he was part of the U-15 team that participated in the 2024 Caribbean Cup, held in December in the Bahamas.
During the 2025 U-15 National Championship, Tarín recorded batting averages of .357 (AVG) with 20 hits and an OBP of .472, while in the final round, he improved his figures to an offensive average of .416.
With a height of nearly 6 feet 1 inch, he stands out for his athleticism, strong arm, and potential as a center fielder (CF). According to Romero, Tarín will be eligible to sign with an MLB organization starting January 15, 2028.
This movement is part of a sustained trend in which young Cuban prospects choose to continue their development in academies in the Dominican Republic, a common step toward seeking professional contracts with MLB franchises.
The departure of Tarín reinforces the wave of young talents that are seeking opportunities outside the state sports system, in a context of increasing migration of lower-category players abroad.
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