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The right-handed pitcher Luis Manuel Hurtado, 18 years old and hailing from Villa Clara, recently left Cuba and is currently in the Dominican Republic with the aim of signing a contract with a Major League organization, according to the specialized journalist Francys Romero.
Hurtado was one of the best pitchers in the Under-18 category in Cuba during 2025, with a record of 5-1, an ERA of 1.04 in 33.2 innings pitched and 42 strikeouts, which placed him as the second-best strikeout pitcher in the tournament.
The young pitcher is six feet two inches tall and was also part of the pre-selection for the Cuba team for the Under-18 World Cup, making him one of the most promising young prospects in recent Cuban baseball.
The Dominican Republic is the usual transit destination for these players, as it allows them to establish residency and be eligible as international free agents under MLB rules.
The departure of Hurtado adds to an unbroken chain of young talent that has left the island in search of professional contracts. Nearly 40 Cuban prospects left the island alone in 2025, according to data published in December of that year.
Among the most recent cases, pitcher Ángel Fernández left Cuba for the Dominican Republic in November 2025 with the same objective, and Roberto Peña, also an 18-year-old pitcher, signed with the New York Mets in September of that year.
The international cycle 2025-2026 has been particularly active for Cuban talent. Rubén Gallego signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for 1.8 million dollars, and Jaider Suárez reached an agreement with the Kansas City Royals for 1.7 million, the highest bonuses reported for Cubans during that period.
This Sunday, the catcher Andy González, 17 years old and the son of Olympic athlete Norberto González, officially signed with the Houston Astros, in yet another example of the talent drain affecting Cuban baseball.
The prospect from Villa Clara is also registered as a pitcher for the provincial team in the 64th National Baseball Series 2025-2026, which demonstrates that his departure occurred during a crucial developmental phase within the Cuban system.
With elite numbers in the youth category and his presence in the national pre-selection, Hurtado embodies exactly the profile that Major League teams prioritize in the international market, and his case illustrates once again the cost that Cuban baseball pays for decades under a system that does not provide its athletes with the conditions or the freedoms they deserve.
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