Cuban Baseball Federation Announces 2023 World Baseball Classic Preliminary Roster

Seven 2017 World Baseball Classic players return to Team Cuba in 2023, while two other players are back from the 2013 WBC squad, and two others from the 2009 WBC team The Cuban Baseball Federation (CBF) announced today the 50-man preliminary roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The roster is made up of 25 pitchers and 25 position players and features 9 players with previous World Baseball Classic experience. The roster also features 13 players with Major or Minor League experience (*), including two actively in MLB rosters.

Yoán Moncada and Luis Robert are the only active players on the 40-man MLB rosters, as the Tigers outrighted Andy Ibáñez to Triple-A Toledo today. Lázaro Armenteros, Ronald Bolaños, Yadil Mujica, Lorenzo Quintana, Luis Romero, and Roenis Elias are active or have been active at some point at the MLB level, even when Elias will have the opportunity to be promoted - again - to the Mayors by the Chicago Cubs in 2023. Meanwhile, Erisbel Arruebarrena, Onelki García, Yoán López, and Yoenis Céspedes are former Major Leaguers. Among the returnees from the 2017 World Baseball Classic squad are Liván Moinelo, Yoanni Yera, Raidel Martínez, Yosvany Alarcón, Yurisbel Gracial, Alfredo Despaigne, and Roel Santos. Erisbel Arruebarrena, Alfredo Despaigne, and Andy Ibáñez were also members of the Cuban team at the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Among the 2009 squad, Céspedes and Despaigne are the only veterans. Cuba Baseball's 2023 World Baseball Classic preliminary roster:
Name, Position, Club, Birthplace/Birthdate
Yoán Moncada, 3B, Chicago White Sox, Cienfuegos, Cuba/May 27, 1995 (*) Luis Robert, OF, Chicago White Sox, Guantánamo, Cuba/August 3, 1997 (*) Andy Ibáñez, 3B, Detroit Tigers, La Habana, Cuba/April 3, 1993 (*) Lázaro Armenteros, OF, Oakland Athletics, La Habana, Cuba/May 22, 1999 (*) Yoenis Céspedes, OF, Águilas Cibaeñas, Granma, Cuba/ Oct 18, 1985 (*) Elián Leyva, RHP, Naranjeros de Hermosillo, La Habana, Cuba/March 17, 1989 (*) Yoán López, RHP, Yomiuri Giants, Isla de la Juventud, Cuba/January 2, 1993 (*) Roenis Elias, LHP, Chicago Cubs, Guantánamo, Cuba/August 1, 1988 (*) Onelki García, LHP, Águilas de Mexicali, Guantánamo, Cuba/August 2, 1989 (*) Ronald Bolaños, RHP, Kansas City Royals, Mayabeque, Cuba/August 23, 1996 (*) Luis M. Romero, RHP, Oakland A's, Guantánamo, Cuba/April 23, 1994 (*) Liván Moinelo, LHP, Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, Pinar del Río, Cuba/December 8, 1995 Raidel Martínez, RHP, Chunichi Dragons, Pinar del Río, Cuba/October 11, 1996 Ariel Martínez, C/1B/OF, Nippon-Ham Fighters, Matanzas, Cuba/May 28, 1996 Yariel Rodríguez, RHP, Chunichi Dragons, Camagüey, Cuba/March 10, 1997 Frank Abel Álvarez, RHP, Chunichi Dragons, La Habana, Cuba, January 16, 1999 Pedro Pablo Revilla, 1B/OF, Chunichi Dragons, Guantánamo, Cuba/March 23, 1999 Guillermo García, 1B/OF, Chunichi Dragons, Granma, Cuba/July 1, 2000 Alfredo Despaigne, OF/DH, Fukuoka S. Hawks, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba/June 17, 1986 Yurisbel Gracial, 3B/OF, Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, Guantánamo, Cuba/October 14, 1985 Roel Santos, OF, Naranjeros de Hermosillo, Granma, Cuba/September 15, 1987 Erisbel Arruebarrena, SS, Algodoneros de Guasave, Cienfuegos, Cuba/May 23, 2014 Yoennis Yera, LHP, Charros de Jalisco, Oct 18, 1989, Matanzas, Cuba/October 18, 1989 Yoelkis Guibert, OF, Agricultores, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba/August 29, 1994 Yosvany Alarcón, C, Agricultores, Las Tunas, Cuba/October 15, 1984 Yadir Drake, 1B/OF, Yaquis de Obregón, Matanzas, Cuba/April 12, 1990 Lorenzo Quintana, C/1B/OF, Tigres del Licey, Pinar del Río, Cuba/March 1, 1989 (*) Yadil Mujica, SS/3B/2B, Centrales, Matanzas, Cuba/January 1, 1985 (*) José Ramón Rodríguez, RHP, Centrales, Camagüey, Cuba/August 18, 1992 Naykel Y. Cruz, LHP, Centrales, Matanzas, Cuba/April 29, 1999 Dariel Góngora, LHP, Centrales, Camagüey, Cuba/December 9, 1992 Hermes González, RHP, Centrales, Cienfuegos, Cuba/May 26, 1995 Carlos J. Viera, RHP, Sultanes de Monterrey, Las Tunas, Cuba/December 6, 1988 Andrys Pérez, C, Centrales, Matanzas, Cuba/February 9, 2001 Oscar Valdés, C, Portuarios, La Habana, Cuba/March 27, 1992 Rafael Viñales, C, Agricultores, Las Tunas, Cuba/July 1, 1992 Guillermo Avilés, IF, Agricultores, Granma, Cuba/January 20, 1993 Luis V. Mateo, IF, Centrales, Cienfuegos, Cuba/January 19, 1996 Dayán García, IF, Tabacaleros, Artemisa, Cuba/June 16, 1987 Pavel Quesada, IF, Centrales, Cienfuegos, Cuba/April 23, 1988 Raico Santos, OF, Olmecas de Tabasco, Granma, Cuba/April 20, 1994 Marlon Vega, RHP, Portuarios, Mayabeque, Cuba/September 13, 2002 Javier Mirabal, RHP, Centrales, Villa Clara, Cuba/January 19, 1997 Franklyn Quintana, RHP, Tabacaleros, Isla de la Juventud, Cuba/May 21, 1995 Jonathan Carbó, RHP, Tabacaleros, Isla de la Juventud, Cuba/November 14, 1997 Alexander Valiente, RHP, Cafetaleros, Guantánamo, Cuba/October 20, 2002 Roberto Hernández, RHP, Ganaderos, Sancti Spíritus, Cuba/December 2, 2000 Yeudis Reyes, RHP, Cafetaleros, Guantánamo, Cuba/November 17, 1995 Pavel Hernández, RHP, Portuarios, La Habana, Cuba/December 2, 1996 Alberto P. Civil, RHP, Agricultores, Las Tunas, Cuba/December 1, 1988 Cuba's Previous World Baseball Classic Rosters 2006 World Baseball Classic 2009 World Baseball Classic 2013 World Baseball Classic 2017 World Baseball Classic Manager Armando ‘Mandy’ Johnson leads Team Cuba's staff. Also, on the coaching staff is Germán Mesa (bench coach), Pedro L. Lazo (pitching coach), José Elósegui (bullpen coach), Orestes Kindelán (hitting coach), Rafael Muñoz (third base coach), Armando Ferrer (first base coach), Humberto Guevara ( physical trainer ). Except for those players restricted by their professional clubs, the announced roster will hold its first concentration on January 15 at the Latinoamericano Stadium in Cuba's capital. The shortlisted may also hold a training camp in México and the Dominican Republic. The final roster of 30 players will be announced on February 7th. It is expected that Cuba will leave for Asia around February 15 and play three preparatory matches with teams from the NPB (Japanese Professional League) between February 19 and 23. The announced preparatory games are against the Chunichi Dragons on February 19, the Yomiuri Giants on February 22, and the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on February 23
Cubas' World Baseball Classic team will play its first-round games as part of Pool A at Taichung Intercontinental Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan. Cuba will face the Netherlands at 11:00 pm (ET) on Tuesday, March 7, before taking on Italy on March 9 at 6:00 am (ET), Panama on March 9 at 11:30 pm (ET), and after a day rest, taking host country team, Chinese Taipei, on March 11 at 11:00 pm (ET).