The Cuban infielder Andy Ibáñez has agreed to participate with the Leones del Escogido in the upcoming season of the Dominican Winter League (LIDOM) 2026-2027, according to specialized journalist Francys Romero.
The 33-year-old Havana baseball player joins the lion team at a time of intense effort to reclaim a spot in the Major Leagues, after a 2026 marked by a brief stint with several organizations in North American baseball.
Ibáñez began the season under contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers — a one-year deal for $1.2 million — but was designated for assignment in February. The Oakland Athletics claimed him off waivers, and the New York Mets did the same at the end of April. With the Mets' affiliate in Syracuse (Triple-A), the Cuban batted .269 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in 31 games before being released on August 13.
Just four days later, Ibáñez signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners and was assigned to Tacoma, their Triple-A team. In the minor leagues for 2026, the infielder has a batting average of .309, five home runs, and 23 runs batted in.
The agreement with Escogido will allow him to remain active and in competitive shape while continuing to aspire to return to the top league with the Mariners. The LIDOM 2026-2027 season kicks off on October 16, with the Leones debuting precisely against Licey.
Ibáñez joins a team that arrives as the reigning champion: the Leones del Escogido won their 18th title on January 27, 2026 by defeating the Toros del Este, establishing themselves as one of the most successful teams in Latin American winter baseball.
Born in Havana on April 3, 1993, Ibáñez left Cuba in November 2014 and signed with the Texas Rangers in July 2015 after several years in independent baseball. He made his Major League debut on April 28, 2021, becoming the 219th Cuban to step onto an MLB field.
His career in the major leagues included two seasons with Texas and three with the Detroit Tigers, where he had his best season in 2023 with a .264 batting average, 11 home runs, and 41 RBIs. In total, he has accumulated an average of around .250, 28 home runs, and over 130 RBIs in the majors.
In early 2026, Ibáñez was included in the preselection of 35 players from Cuba for the VI World Baseball Classic, although reports from specialized media suggested he had declined to participate with the national team.
With the agreement now finalized, according to Romero, Ibáñez will have an ideal platform in Dominican baseball to prove that he still has Major League caliber and to push for a call-up from the Mariners before the conclusion of the regular season.
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