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The Cuban left-handed pitcher Julio Robaina has signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves and is therefore returning to the Major League system, as reported this Sunday by Pelota Cubana USA.
The 25-year-old from Artemisa joins this firm at an outstanding moment: in the Mexican Baseball League, he recorded an ERA of 1.47, a batting average against of .185, a WHIP of 0.93, a record of two wins without losses, and 15 strikeouts in 18.1 innings pitched.
Robaina, hailing from San Antonio de los Baños, Artemisa province, originally signed with the Houston Astros in 2017 at the age of 16 for $220,000, after leaving Cuba in 2016.
For six years in the Houston organization, he advanced to the Triple-A level, playing with the Corpus Christi Hooks and the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, without making his Major League debut.
His contract with the Astros ended in 2024, at which point he became a minor league free agent and chose to remain active in professional leagues in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Mexico.
With the Quintana Roo Tigers in the 2025 season, he completed 71 innings with an ERA of 3.17 and 72 strikeouts, establishing himself as one of the most consistent pitchers in the Mexican league.
His greatest international exposure came in March 2026, when he was designated as the starting pitcher for Cuba against Puerto Rico in the VI World Baseball Classic at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan.
Cuba, however, was eliminated in the group stage with a record of 2-2, marking the first time in the tournament's history that it did not advance to the second stage, after losing 2-7 to Canada.
Despite the collective result, Robaina's performance in the Clásico and his subsequent performance in Mexico kept him on the radar of Major League teams.
The Atlanta Braves have shown increasing interest in Cuban talent in recent months: the organization also features Raisel Iglesias as the closer with a contract of 16 million dollars per season, and Robert Suarez as a reliever under a 45 million dollar agreement for three years.
In January 2026, Atlanta also signed Cuban prospect Jonathan Hechavarría for 340,000 dollars during the international period, reinforcing the organization's commitment to Cuban baseball.
With this signing, Robaina will have a second chance in the Major League system, this time with a different organization and with more experience accumulated in professional leagues across four countries.
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