Eros Bernal, technical head of baseball5 in Cuba, announced the rosters of the two local teams that will participate in the II Caribbean Cup, which will be held next Monday in the resort of Varadero.
In the competition, for teams of eight players, national teams from France and Jamaica will also participate.
“To integrate both mixed teams, we made a mix of players who were world champions in the senior category (Mexico, 2022), with others who also obtained first place in the youth world championship in Ankara, Turkey, in 2023,” Bernal commented.
However, he warned that the youth players have just left that category behind and are already enlisting among first-class players.
Thus, Cuba Rojo was made up of five males and three females. The group is headed by Havana Briandy Molina, considered as a “legend” of this modality by the World Baseball and Softball Confederation (WBSC).
This team includes also Amanda Díaz, from Havana and Mario Rodríguez, Jean Carlos Correoso and Chaquira Aspiazú, from Guantanamo as well as Jadier Ulloa (ART), Alexander Ortiz (SCU) and Lietis Arcia (SSP).
Meanwhile, Cuba Azul is made up of four men and an equal number of women: Cristian Basabe, Josué Gutiérrez and Haila González (ART), Yoel David Blanco and Yilena Otamendez (GTMO), Orlando Amador (HAV), Claudia Gómez (GRAM) and Claudia Lores (HOL).
Coaches Pablo Terry (HAB) and Llorvis Savón (GTM) will lead the Red and Blue teams, respectively.
The Cuban coaches are working these days with a preselection of 16 players who are preparing for the I Pan American Baseball5 Tournament, based in Barquisimeto City, in Venezuela.
The event will be held between June 26 and 30, and will award three tickets to the Baseball5 World Championship in Hong Kong 2024.
Translated by Liubis Balart
