Las Tunas' Eliánder Bravo, Jean Lucas Baldoquín, and Yasel Pérez are fighting for the jersey of the Cuban team that will participate in the Pan American Games of the category, to be held in Nicaragua at a date to be determined.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- A long-range break, a precise mix with the fastball, and a courage that does not clash with his last name were the keys to an excellent rookie season for Eliánder, who took responsibility for the title of the Lumberjacks in the 62nd National Baseball Series.
The left-hander accumulated 13 games, all in the role of starter, where he won four times and suffered a few setbacks. With the virtue of getting the important outs, the pitcher allowed an ERA of 4.03, as that of 26 earned runs in 58.0 innings.
At some point during the campaign, Jean Lucas also rubbed shoulders with the best rookies in the country, in terms of statistics. The youngest of the Baldoquín brothers has a powerful swing that will make headlines shortly, hence his presence at the tryouts held in Havana under the gaze of scouts from various leagues.
The third baseman was six points away from hitting 300 in his debut year, but the day he hit two home runs at the Victoria de Girón stadium will be remembered by the fans in the last gasp of the qualifying stage. Fifteen RBIs and an OPS of 805 stand out among the performance records of Jean Lucas, who participated in collegiate circuits in the United States.
Meanwhile, Yasel Pérez expects a fierce battle for the first base with Guillermo García from Grama. Even though both have shown their strength on Japanese soil, the quality of their leagues dictates the differences between the sluggers. The Jobabo youngster's performance in the last domestic classic was very poor, as he suffered from injuries and then went to Japan by contract under the Cuban Federation.
The group of 36 players, led by mentor Eddy Cajigal, is made up of five catchers, nine infielders, six outfielders, and 16 pitchers. The continental event will award four spots to the World Championship.
