Related videos:
The Cuban shortstop Luis Almeida, 18 years old and from Matanzas, officially signed this Wednesday with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Dominican Republic, for a bonus of 30,000 dollars.
The news was confirmed on Facebook by the specialized journalist Francys Romero, who described the prospect as "a player highly regarded for his skills on the field with an excellent contact bat."
Almeida becomes the 18th player born in Cuba to sign during the 2025-2026 MLB international signing period, which began on January 15 of this year.
It is expected that the young infielder will start the 2026 season in the Dominican Summer League beginning June 1st, following the usual schedule for that developmental competition for early-stage prospects.
Almeida belongs to the Academy of the Cuban coach Yuan Pino, a reference in the development of emigrated Cuban talent that has produced at least nine prospects signed with Major League organizations.
With this addition, Pittsburgh has added at least three Cubans in its last two international classes, highlighting the organization's sustained interest in the talent from the island.
In the current cycle 2025-2026, the Pirates had already signed outfielder Rothelmnay Marquetti from Havana on the very day the signing period opened, January 15, 2026.
In the previous cycle, the organization signed left-handed pitcher Yoslaniel Hernández, also from Matanzas, for a bonus of 400,000 dollars, a figure significantly higher than Almeida's.
The $30,000 bonus for the new prospect falls within the more modest range of the period, typical of young players who still need to develop in rookie leagues before advancing in their organization's minor league system.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the highest bonus of the 2025-2026 cycle for a Cuban belongs to Rubén Gallego, who signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for 1.8 million dollars. Other notable prospects from this period include Joniel Hernández and Jordan Pérez, both with the San Diego Padres for 1.4 million each, and Jaims Martínez with the Chicago Cubs for 900,000 dollars.
Cuba has established itself as the fourth country with the most signings in the international period 2025-2026, behind the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Mexico, reflecting the ongoing flow of baseball talent leaving the island in search of professional opportunities.
In the previous cycle, 2024-2025, a total of 41 Cuban players signed contracts with Major League organizations, a figure that highlights the scale of the sports exodus and the demand for Cuban baseball in the MLB.
Filed under: