Cuba’s baseball pipeline remains one of the most recognizable in the sport, and the country’s current prospect group gives that reputation more fuel.
At the top of the list is Lazaro Montes, the Mariners outfielder who has already made his MLB debut. The power is the carrying tool, and it’s the same trait that has kept him near the top of Seattle’s prospect conversation.
The questions are just as clear: he has swing-and-miss problems in the zone and doesn’t bring much defensive value, which makes him a risky bet. Still, the upside is obvious.
If everything comes together, he could be an all-star.
Montes leads a Cuban top 10 that also includes Kevin Alvarez of the Astros at No. 2, followed by Kendry Rojas, a left-handed pitcher in the Twins system. The rest of the list features Joniel Hernandez, a shortstop with the Giants; Diego Tornes, an outfielder in the Braves organization; Yunior Tur, a right-hander with the Athletics; Alberto Barriga, a catcher in the Diamondbacks system; Leonardo Sevilla, another Diamondbacks shortstop; Jaims Martinez, a Cubs shortstop; and Felix Arronde, a Royals right-hander.
The broader Cuban baseball story runs deep. On the mound, the country produced Dolf Luque, who won 194 games in the 1910s, ’20s and ’30s, and later Camilo Pascual and Luis Tiant, followed by Livan and Orlando Hernandez.
At the plate, Tony Pérez, Tony Oliva, Cristóbal Torriente, Martín Dihigo and Minnie Miñoso all reached Hall of Fame status. More recently, José Canseco, Rafael Palmeiro and José Abreu became notable sluggers, while Aroldis Chapman established himself as one of the best closers of the 21st century and one of the hardest-throwing pitchers the game has ever seen.
As for the best Cuban player in the majors right now, that title belongs to Yordan Alvarez. The Astros star is trying to win the Triple Crown this year and is making a strong case for AL Most Valuable Player.
In Other News...
Mariners Fans May Not Like Where This Staff Shakeup Is Headed
The Mariners are headed into the offseason with the kind of uncertainty that tends to linger well beyond the final out. According to a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, manager Dan Wilson is viewed as the most likely person to lose his job, while the organization is expected to keep executive leadership intact with Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander remaining in place.
For Seattle fans, that kind of setup points to a familiar sort of shakeup: change on the field, continuity above it. The report also notes that the looming MLB lockout could push clubs to favor stability in their front offices, which only adds another layer to how these decisions might be made as the Mariners sort through what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Naylor Just Gave Mariners Fans Another Reason To Boil
Josh Naylors latest run-in at Angel Stadium gave Mariners fans another jolt of frustration in a season where every detail seems to get magnified. On a tag-up play, he was ruled out after leaving third base too early following Zach Netos catch, and the sequence quickly turned into one of those moments that can linger well beyond the inning. Weston Wilson suggested Naylor may simply have misread the play, thinking the ball had bounced, which at least offers a baseball explanation for what looked like a costly mistake.
The bigger issue for Seattle was the choice not to challenge the call, leaving the play to stand and inviting another round of criticism from fans and commentators. For a club trying to squeeze every edge it can find, especially in tight games, those are the kinds of lapses that stick. Even when the explanation is harmless enough, the optics are not, and Mariners supporters were left boiling over a play that felt avoidable from the start. [Read more 🡒]
Logan Gilbert Just Put Mariners' Biggest Problem On Blast
The Mariners season has drifted into the kind of disappointment that usually gets measured in what could have been, and Logan Gilbert was not interested in softening the edges after the loss that sealed their losing record. Seattle came into the year with expectations it has not come close to meeting, and Gilbert pointed directly at the teams lack of urgency as the problems mounted around a roster that has struggled to put together even the basics of a contender.
It has not been one issue, either. The offense has lagged, the defense has been just as shaky, and Seattles Fielding Run Value sits at the bottom of the majors, a blunt reflection of how often the Mariners have given games away. Even the clubs biggest names, including Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodrguez, have not delivered the kind of second-half push the team needed, which is why Gilberts frustration lands with extra force as the season winds toward an ugly finish. [Read more 🡒]