Cuba announce 24-man roster for WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup

Cuba announce 24-man roster for WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup
27/09/2022
Manager Alain Alvarez is aiming for a medal. The roster is made of players from the Cuban National League.

Cuba announced their roster for the IV WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup, scheduled from 13 to 23 October in Taiwan with manager Alain Alvarez selecting the following 24 players:

PITCHERS (11) Naykel Cruz, Oscar Hernández, Leodán Reyes, Roberto Hernández, Alexander Valiente, Marlon Vega, Frank Abel Álvarez, Randy Cueto, Alex Guerra, Luis Alejandro Serpa, Andy Vargas.
CATCHERS (2) Andrys Pérez, Brayan González.
INFIELDERS (7) Pedro Pablo Revilla, Christian Rodríguez, Yuri Fernández, Carlos Rafael Rodríguez, Cristian Hidalgo, Ariel Díaz, Jeifer Rodríguez.
OUTFIELDERS (4) Guillermo García, Dany Oramas, Carlos Monier, Dairon Montalvo.

All the players compete in Cuba's Serie Nacional, the top league on the island. Revilla, Garcia, Cruz, Vega and Frank Alvarez have already experienced competition on the world stage. The core of the team played in the Americas qualifier.

"I know it may look hard, given the level of competition, but we will be aiming at a medal," commented Alvarez.

The coaching staff includes former superstar pitcher Pedro Lazo as the pitching coach and coaches Julio Cesar Alvarez and Roberto Gonzalez.

World No. 9 Cuba participated for the first time in Mexico's U-23 Baseball World Cup in 2021 and finished fourth.

They will compete in Group B and face No. 3 Korea, No. 4 Mexico, No. 8 Netherlands, No. 10 Australia, and No. 16 Puerto Rico.

Cuba will debut on 14 October against Puerto Rico.