The preliminary roster for the Las Tunas Leñadores (Lumberjacks) for the 65th Cuba’s National Baseball Series was announced this Wednesday in the conference room at Julio Antonio Mella Stadium. The lineup —pending official confirmation at the technical meeting— presents significant absences and raises several questions about the starting pitching rotation; however, the team maintains its goal of staying among the top contenders, a position it has held for the past eight years.

As team officials indicated, the green-and-red squad will prioritize run production through speed on the basepaths to compensate for a decline in power hitting. They argued that this strategy aligns with the characteristics of the new roster members and the team's specific needs for the upcoming season.

EXPERIENCE AND DEFENSE BEHIND THE PLATE

The catching position will feature a new face with the addition of Yerlandy Damas García (from Villa Clara), while the team also looks to Deismel Hurtado —from whom much is expected, particularly at the plate— to step up and prove himself. Provincial Baseball Commissioner José Luis Rodríguez Pérez explained that Yosvani Alarcón, due to his age and chronic injuries, will not be able to serve as the starter for the majority of games.

Faced with this situation, the team sought a catcher capable of meeting defensive standards; hence the choice of Damas García, who has previously played for the Leopardos-Azucareros. Given the inexperience and injury issues affecting other local candidates, Rodríguez stated, "We chose Yerlandy because we are aiming to contend for the championship. There can be no weak links in a key area like the catching position."

MOBILITY AND YOUTH ON THE DIAMOND

In the infield, the roster retains key players such as Henry Quintero; although he did not participate in the preseason training camp, he is expected to return to the country in time for the start of the series. The coaching staff has been monitoring his preparation. Rodríguez Pérez highlighted the presence of Norge Torres and Yor Alarcón, both of whom demonstrated their quality last year. He also mentioned Christopher Brian Vázquez, an athlete rising through the ranks from the lower divisions who performed very well during training.

The situation is complicated by the potential temporary departure of Norge Torres and Jean Lucas Baldoquín, called up to the Cuban U-23 team for the World Cup in Nicaragua this November. Given this, the role of players like Luis Pérez will be decisive. "He is expected to take on a prominent role within the squad," the commissioner said.

Also notable is the presence of Roberto Súliban Baldoquín, although his preparation has been limited as he has not yet fully recovered from injuries. Daniel León González is another versatile athlete; he plays in the infield but can also serve as a catcher —a capability that was viewed positively during warm-up games.

VERSATILITY AND SPEED IN THE OUTFIELD

The return of Yunieski Larduet —who missed the last Elite League— and the versatility of several new additions are the main stories regarding this part of the squad.

Alongside the skills of players like Héctor Castillo, the coaching staff is pinning its hopes on Yasser Izaguirre.
"He is going to be a key player for the team this year. We have high hopes that he will step up and play a major role," the commissioner said. He also mentioned Maykel Yordan Molina, an outfielder who will also be utilized at first base.

Yudier Rondón is another important player thanks to his defensive versatility and offensive power. Dairon Michel Suárez shows promise as a batter and possesses good speed. "If the need arises, he could pitch, as he averages 86–87 miles per hour," he explained. The addition of Danny Luaces, a native of Camagüey, is another new development.

"He has plenty of tools to help the team. He is an excellent outfielder who covers a lot of ground and has a strong arm. Furthermore, he has great speed, is disciplined, and has a wonderful attitude," he noted. "If we need to improve our baserunning to generate runs, this athlete can really help us," he maintained.

PITCHERS: STARTERS WANTED?

While Las Tunas boasts an elite bullpen —featuring Alberto Pablo Civil, Rodolfo Díaz, and Keniel Ferraz— the return of Yosmel Garcés to Santiago de Cuba and the departure of Alejandro Meneses have left Eliánder Bravo as the only seasoned veteran among the team's starting pitchers.

Andier Reyes and Anier ("Matsusaka") Pérez —formerly middle relievers— are expected to transition into this new role, the commissioner explained. Additionally, Yosbel Cancino, who played for Las Tunas last season, will take on a significant role. "He doesn't impress with sheer velocity, but he has a wide repertoire and gets plenty of outs," he said.

Sergio Aurelio Fernández is moving up from the U-23 squad. "He has potential; he just needs more mound time to settle into his role on the team. We’ll use him as a long reliever," he noted. Eldis Velázquez, who pitched in the Italian League, has also joined the team. "He’s shown considerable improvement. He lacks high velocity but has a solid repertoire and commands different angles. He could be a starter," he added.

Darby José Leyva —who delivered a strong relief outing last season before getting injured— is in good form this year, Rodríguez Pérez confirmed. Eloy Javier is another athlete with a profile similar to Sergio Aurelio's; both are U-23 players who performed well last year, he commented.

Geovany Rodríguez Ramírez is another new addition. According to the commissioner, he was the best player in his age group during his U-15 days, until a serious injury sidelined him for several years. "He came back and, with hardly any training, showed good velocity and results. We’ll have to bring him along gradually," he clarified. Steven Rodríguez, a pitcher arriving from Holguín, is slated to serve as another long reliever, he maintained.

Meanwhile, Rodolfo Correa, the head pitching coach, added that players who previously served as secondary relievers will now step into key roles as starting pitchers. "We’re going to have to find a rookie to fill that role as well. The core of our bullpen is Rodolfo, Civil, and Ferraz. We don’t want to disrupt that area; games are won in the late innings," he insisted.

Regarding the absence of Yoelkis Cruz Jr. and Leandro Cañada, Correa explained that Yoelkis made a personal decision to care for his ailing mother. As for Cañada, while he has physically recovered from an injury, he hasn't shown his full potential mentally. "He wasn't topping 76 or 77 mph, and he showed a lack of control during the practice games," he said.

SCORING RUNS

Bench coach Ángel Sosa highlighted that Las Tunas has qualified for the postseason in the last eight championships, as well as in the three Elite League seasons they have participated in. "We’ve finished first twice, second four times, and fourth twice," he noted.

Sosa pointed out that the team has played around 420 games over the last three years, averaging nearly 140 per season. "If you add up the competition time from the National Series and the Elite League, it comes to almost eight months playing, plus three months of preparation. These athletes only get a break of about three weeks to a month," he detailed.

Given this heavy workload, the coaching staff tailored training regimens for athletes like Yosvani Alarcón and Yudier Rondón. "We base the plan on competitive performance. Some athletes aren't part of the initial preparation —like Henry Quintero or Larduet— who join later, so we have to make adjustments to get them into competitive shape," he said.

They focused their preparation on baserunning and drive runs. "The team that won the title in the 63rd National Series doesn't match this current squad in terms of power. We’ve lost some power, but we’ve gained speed on the basepaths," he stated.

Sosa said they are in the seventh of nine scheduled training cycles. "Training has proceeded with over 92 percent of the planned schedule completed. We’ve faced hardly any difficulties; even the rain has worked in our favor," he said. He also highlighted the nutrition program success and noted that medical evaluations have already been completed.

Esnaido Estanque, the provincial sports director, reaffirmed confidence in the coaching staff led by Abeysi Pantoja—who couldn't attend the press conference because he serves on the management team for the Cuban U-23 squad. "We have a roster of young athletes; we believe we have a team capable of contending for a playoff spot and, once qualified, challenging for the title," he asserted.

Blending youth, speed, and experience, the Las Tunas Lumberjacks will kick off their 65th National Series campaign on October 4, facing the challenge of maintaining the prominent status that has defined them within the elite ranks of Cuban baseball.