The baseball team of Spain called up nine players of Cuban descent for the qualifiers of the WBSC Premier 12 2027, which will be held in Barcelona from October 9 to 11, as reported by Pelota Cubana USA .
The tournament will take place at the Carlos Pérez de Rozas Municipal Baseball Field, located in the Olympic area of Montjuïc, and will see Spain compete against Italy, Germany, and Colombia, with two spots available for the main tournament.
The nine Cubans called up are the catcher Omar Hernández, the outfielders Félix Stevens and Frank Hernández, and the pitchers Elián Leyva, Pablo Luis Guillén, Royd Hernández, Rubén Menes, Dayan González, and Carlos Sierra.
Several of these players have an established career in Spanish baseball before making their mark internationally.
Omar Hernández and Frank Hernández trained at the Viladecans Baseball Club in Catalonia before signing professional contracts in the Major League Baseball system.
Pablo Luis Guillén, originally from Villa Clara, was the most dominant pitcher for Tenerife in the Spanish league: he recorded a record of 3-0 with a ERA of 0.46 in 19.2 innings pitched, with 20 strikeouts and a WHIP of 0.73.
Royd Hernández gained experience with the Toros de Pamplona and San Inazio, where in 2024 he recorded a record of 4-1 with 2.21 ERA, 53.0 innings, and 53 strikeouts.
The massive presence of Cubans on the Spanish national team is a result of a phenomenon established in European baseball: players who emigrated from the island, obtained Spanish nationality, and became key components of the Iberian team's competitiveness on the international circuit.
Spain had already turned to this model in the qualifying process for the VI World Baseball Classic 2026, where it called up names like Yoanner Negrín, Odrisamer Despaigne, and Orlando Lavandera, in addition to several of the same players who are now part of the roster for Barcelona.
In February 2025, six Cubans were part of the Spanish roster for the qualifying tournament leading to the 2026 World Classic, and in December 2024 eight Cubans were included in the preliminary selection for that same cycle.
Cuba, for its part, does not need to go through the qualifiers in Barcelona: the Cuban team qualifies directly for the Premier 12 2027 thanks to its position in the WBSC ranking, the second most important baseball tournament in the world after the World Baseball Classic.
Spain will need to outperform Italy, Germany, and Colombia to secure one of the two available spots in the European qualifiers starting on October 9.
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