A Baker's Dozen of Cubs Playing Winter Ball South of the Border
In addition to the nine Cubs minor leaguers playing for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League, 13 other Cubs minor leaguers are playing winter ball in Latin America:
LIGA DE BEISBOL DOMINICANO (Dominican Republic):
AGUILAS:
Daury Torrez, RHP (eligible to be minor league 6YFA post-World Series)
CIBAO:
Roberto Caro, OF (was eligible to be minor league 6YFA but has signed 2019 minor league successor contract)
ESTRELLAS:
Oscar de la Cruz, RHP (on Cubs Restricted List - serving 80-game suspension for violation of MLB-MLBPA JDPTP)
Jose Paulino, LHP (eligible to be minor league 6YFA post-World Series)
NOTE: Although de la Cruz is on the Cubs Restricted List and thus cannot participate in the Arizona Fall League, he is not prohibited from playing winter ball in Latin America.
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LIGA MEXICANA DEL PACIFICO (Mexico):
CULIACAN:
Casey Coleman, RHP (eligible to be minor league 6YFA post-World Series)
JALISCO:
Jesus Camargo, RHSP
MEXICALI:
Mario Meza, RHRP (was loaned to Yucatan and Saltillo in Mexican League in 2018)
OBREGON:
Carlos Sepulveda, INF (missed 2018 season after undergoing shoulder surgery)
NOTE: Sepulveda is on the Obregon reserve list and can play in LMP only if medically cleared by Cubs
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LIGA VENEZUELA BEISBOL PROFESIONAL (Venezuela):
ANZOATEGUI:
Erick Castillo, C (was eligible to be minor league 6YFA but has signed 2019 minor league successor contract)
CURACAS:
Jeffrey Baez, OF (eligible to be minor league 6YFA post-World Series)
Enrique de los Rios, RHP (eligible for selection in December 2018 Rule 5 Draft)
LARA:
Yapson Gomez, LHRP (eligible for selection in December 2018 Rule 5 Draft)
MARGARITA:
Eugenio Palma, LHRP (eligible for selection in December 2018 Rule 5 Draft)
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Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (the Puerto Rican winter league) begins play in a about a month and rosters have not yet been announced.
Unlike the Arizona Fall League, free agents are eligible to play in the Latin Winter Leagues, so while Baez, Coleman, Paulino, and Torrez are presently under control of the Cubs, they might not be by the time the leagues conclude play.
In addition to the 13 Cubs minor leaguers on the rosters of Latin winter league clubs, more than 30 former Cubs major leaguers and minor leaguers are playing winter ball in Latin America as well, including INF Arismendy Alcantara, RHP Pedro Araujo, OF Junior Lake, OF Felix Pie, RHP Carlos Pimentel, RHP Ivan Pineyro, LHP David Rollins and LHP Raul Valdes (Dominican Republic), RHP Dallas Beeler, C Sergio Burruel, LHP Gerardo Concepcion, OF-IF Anthony Giansanti, RHP Aaron Kurcz, RHP Sergio Mitre, LHP James Russell, INF Issmael Salas, RHP Nick Struck, and OF Jesus Valdez (Mexico), and RHP Jose Ascanio, RHP Francisco Carrillo, INF Ronny Cedeno, LHP Hunter Cervenka, RHP Dayan Diaz, RHP Greyfer Eregua, RHP Eduardo Figueroa, INF Bryant Flete, RHP Ramon Garcia, RHP Mark Malave, RHP Jhondaniel Medina, RHP Miguel Mejia, INF Andruw Monasterio, RHP Williams Perez, and RHP Carlos Zambrano (Venezuela).
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