There are 13 players on the announced roster who competed in the V World Baseball Classic
The Cuban Baseball Federation has announced the list of 24 players who will try to reclaim the continental title lost in 2011.
The Cuban team, which has won 12 Pan American titles and has also finished in the top three 15 times, hopes to return to Cuba with the title after winning bronze medals in 2011 and 2015 and placing sixth in Lima 2019.
Armando "Mandy" Johnson, the team's manager, has called eleven pitchers, two catchers, seven infielders, and four outfielders to his roster.
Several prominent and well-known team members are absent, including internationals Alfredo Despaigne, Liván Moinelo, Ariel Martínez, Yadir Drake and Raidel Martínez, as well as recent emigrant pitchers Yeudis Reyes and Franky Quintana and outfielder Osday Silva.
Nevertheless, the group maintains the same objective and brings as a motivator the first title won by a Cuban national team in 8 years following the recent victory in the V Caribbean Cup.
Team Cuba to the XIX Pan American Games, Santiago de Chile'2023
Pitchers (11): Geonel Gutiérrez Jiménez (LZ), Carlos Juan Viera Álvarez (WBC'2023), Yoennis Yera Montalvo (LZ) (WBC'2023), José Ramón Rodríguez Menéndez (WBC'2023), Yankiel Mauris Gutiérrez, Renner Rivero Estrada, Jonathan Carbó Campoalegre, Naykel Yoel Cruz Zaldívar (LZ) (WBC'2023), Raymond Figueredo Cruz, Erlys Casanova Callaba and Frank Abel Álvarez Díaz (WBC'2023).
Catchers (2): Andy Cosme Oliva and Andrys Pérez García (WBC'2023).
Infielders (7): Yasniel González Vega, Yadil Mujica Díaz (WBC'2023), Bárbaro Erisbel Arruebarruena Escalante (WBC'2023), Luis Vicente Mateo Terry (WBC'2023), Dayán García Ortega (WBC'2023), Roberto Sullivan Baldoquín Martínez and Raúl González Isidoria.
Outfielders (4): Yurisbel Gracial García (WBC'2023), Roel Santos Martínez (WBC'2023), Yoelkis Guibert Steven (WBC'2023) and Luis González Azcuy.
Manager: Armando Johnson (WBC'2023)
(WBC'2023) - Players who took part in the V World Baseball Classic
On October 18, the Pan American Games baseball tournament will begin and last until October 28.
Eight teams will compete in the following groups:
Group A
México (#3 in the WBSC World Rankings)
República Dominicana (#9)
Panamá (#12)
Chile (Ranking not available)
Group B
Venezuela (#6)
Cuba (#8)
Colombia (#15)
Brasil (#23)
A Round Robin format is used for the first round of the tournament, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Super Round. The final stage will see two matches against rivals classified from the other group. As part of this final stage, the first two teams will compete for the gold, while the remaining two teams will compete for the bronze, both matches scheduled for October 28.
Tournament Format
Round Robin, October 18-24
Super Round, October 26-27
Medals, October 28
On October 18, the baseball tournament will begin with Mexico-Chile's confrontation for Group A at 10:30 am (Cuba and Eastern US Time). In Group B, Venezuela and Brazil will face off at 4:00 pm (Cuba and Eastern US Time) a day later.
Cubans will make their debut against Colombia on Friday, October 20 at 10:30 am (Cuba and Eastern US Time).
Cuba schedule in the tournament
October 19: 10:30 am, Colombia vs. Cuba
October 22: 4:00 pm, Cuba vs. Venezuela
October 24: 10:30 am, Brasil vs Cuba
All times appear in Cuban and Eastern US time.
