Cuba announces its team for the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador

From June 23 to July 8, the Central American and Caribbean Games will be held in San Salvador, while the baseball tournament will be held from June 24 to July 1

Similarly to the 2023 World Classic, Cuba will be headed by Armando Johnson. (Photo: Yuki Taguchi/Getty Images)

Cuba's team is once again managed by Armando Johnson.

Cuban Baseball Federation announced 24 players. Both Yasmani Tomás and Roberto Baldoquín, two repatriates who were seeking to join the national roster, were not selected.

A decision was made to integrate the team taking into account previous preparations for the World Baseball Classic and performances in the current National Series and foreign leagues, according to Juan R. Pérez, president of the Cuban Baseball Federation.

The Caribbean tournament will also include Mexico, Curaçao, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and the defending champion, Puerto Rico.

Cuba has not won a Central American and Caribbean baseball tournament event since the 2014 edition in Veracruz, Mexico, when they beat Nicaragua 9-3 in the final to win their 15th title in these tournaments, the most of any team.

The last baseball edition of these games, in 2018, saw Cuba finish in second place with a 5-2 record, only behind Puerto Rico (5-2), which, in a tournament involving a round-robin format, won by a score of 8-1, despite having the same record of wins and losses. The Cuban team also lost to Venezuela 2-1 in that tournament.

The 2023 baseball tournament will be held at Saturnino Bengoa park, which was inaugurated in 1957. The stadium has been completely remodeled for this tournament.

Cuba will open the tournament on June 24 against Mexico.

San Salvador's Central American baseball tournament will also determine four places for Santiago de Chile's Pan American Baseball tournament in 2023.

Here is the Cuban roster:

Pitchers (11): Carlos J. Viera (LTU), Yoenni Yera (MTZ), Yeudis Reyes (GTM), Javier Mirabal (VCL), José R. Rodríguez (CAM), Naikel Cruz (MTZ), Jonathan Carbó (IJV), Franklin Quintana (IJV), Miguel Neira (SSP), Yunieski García (ART), and Renner Rivero (MTZ)

Catchers (2): Yunior Ibarra (SSP) and Andrys Pérez (MTZ)

Infielders (7): Erisbel Arruebarruena (MTZ), Dayán García (ART), Yadil Mujica (MTZ), Yordan Manduley (HOL), Luis V. Mateo (CFG), Guillermo Avilés (GRM), and Yasniel González (MAY)

Outfielders (4): Roel Santos (GRM), Yoelkis Guibert (SCU), Yurisbel Gracial (MTZ), and Raico Santos (GRM)

Manager: Armando Johnson