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The Cuban right-handed pitcher Franco Alemán made his debut this Sunday in Major League Baseball with the Cleveland Guardians on Mother's Day, and he did so in outstanding fashion: two innings without allowing any runs, one strikeout, and a top speed of 99 mph against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field.
With this debut, Alemán becomes the 405th player born in Cuba to reach MLB in history, including the Negro Leagues, as reported by sports journalist Francys Romero.
The call to the majors came on Friday, May 8, when the Guardians promoted him from Triple-A Columbus Clippers. To make room on the roster, the team designated reliever Connor Brogdon for assignment, for whom manager Stephen Vogt publicly expressed gratitude for his contributions during the start of the season.
Vogt did not hide his excitement with the arrival of the Cuban: "It took a long time for Franco Alemán to get here, and today is the day," he declared. "We are very excited about Franco and the way he has been pitching in Triple-A," he added.
The call-up came after a dominant 2026 season in Triple-A: in 12 innings pitched, Alemán recorded an ERA of 0.00, 18 strikeouts, and only four walks, with a top speed of 97-98 mph before the call-up.
Born on June 26, 2000, in Yaguajay, Sancti Spíritus province, Alemán arrived in the United States at the age of 11 and trained in Tampa, Florida, where he attended Alonso High School and was an All-State selection. He passed through several universities before joining the Florida Gators, from where he was selected by the then Cleveland Indians in the 10th round of the 2021 MLB Draft, signing for $175,000.
His path to the majors was marked by physical obstacles: he suffered a strain of his latissimus dorsi muscle in 2024 and underwent hernia surgery in 2025, which considerably delayed his arrival at the highest level. Despite this, in 2024 he recorded an ERA of 1.99 in 22.2 innings with 34 strikeouts in Columbus, and in November of that year, he was added to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, a clear sign of the team's confidence in him.
Alemán stands 1.98 meters tall, and his arsenal is built around a sinker that ranges from 94 to 99 mph, complemented by an effective slider. This combination ranked him as the number 29 prospect in the Cleveland system at the time of his call-up.
The Guardians have systematically invested in Cuban talent: in addition to Alemán, they signed Loidel Amaya and Karell Naranjo in January 2026, and they have left-handed pitcher Miguel Flores in their system.
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