Cuban Baseball Digest 🇺🇸🇨🇺

Miguel Vargas talks to us about getting comfortable in Chicago's lineup and the importance of his father in his development as a player. #Cubanbaseballdigest #Whitesox

YORDAN ÁLVAREZ WINS THE 2026 AMERICAN LEAGUE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD! cubanbaseballdigest.com/2026… via @Cbaseballdigest

🇨🇺⚾🇩🇴 Yordan Álvarez vs. Juan Soto: two of the great hitters of their generation! 📊 In their averages per 162 games, Álvarez leads Soto in several offensive categories: • AVG: .300 vs. .281 • Hits: 176 vs. 161 • Doubles: 37 vs. 28 • HR: 41 vs. 36 • RBI: 116 vs. 103 • SLG: .578 vs. .530 • OPS: .975 vs. .945 • OPS+: 168 vs. 160 • wRC+: 166 vs. 157 🔥 Soto holds the edge in on-base percentage, .415 to .396, and accumulated career fWAR, 45.2 to 30.6. 🏆 Yordan Álvarez’s honors: • 2019 Rookie of the Year • 2026 MVP • 2026 Comeback Player of the Year • 2026 Hank Aaron Award • 4 All-Star selections • 2 Silver Slugger Awards • 2026 Batting Champion 🏆 Juan Soto’s honors: • 5 All-Star selections • 6 Silver Slugger Awards • 2020 Batting Champion Álvarez stands out for his combination of average and power, while Soto excels at getting on base. Two premier Latino hitters! 🔥 Who would you choose to anchor your lineup? 👀👇 #Cubanbaseballdigest #YordanÁlvarez #JuanSoto #MLB

Henry Urrutia Joins the Caimanes de Barranquilla. cubanbaseballdigest.com/2026… via @Cbaseballdigest

☑️🇨🇺 YORDAN ÁLVAREZ WINS THE 2026 AMERICAN LEAGUE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD! 📊 The Cuban superstar of the Houston Astros captures the prestigious honor after putting together an extraordinary 2026 campaign, establishing himself as one of the most dominant hitters in Major League Baseball. 🔥 His 2026 statistics: ⚾ AVG: .316 ⚾ OBP: .432 ⚾ SLG: .601 ⚾ OPS: 1.033 ⚾ Home Runs: 42 ⚾ RBIs: 106 ⚾ Runs Scored: 105 ⚾ Hits: 179 🏆 In addition to capturing the American League MVP Award, Álvarez also took home the Hank Aaron Award, Edgar Martínez (Outstanding Designated Hitter Award), and American League Comeback Player of the Year Award, capping off a truly historic season. 🇨🇺 The powerful slugger now looks to add another Silver Slugger Award to his already impressive trophy case, following a campaign filled with individual accolades and remarkable achievements. 🔥 A season for the ages, ranking among the greatest individual campaigns ever produced by a Cuban player in Major League Baseball history! #YordanAlvarez #Astros #MLB #ALMVP #CubanBaseball #HoustonAstros #PelotaCubana

Yordan Álvarez Sweeps Major Offensive Honors at MLB Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas. cubanbaseballdigest.com/2026… via @Cbaseballdigest

JC Escarra homer keys and Águilas Cibaeñas victory. cubanbaseballdigest.com/2026… via @Cbaseballdigest

Yurisbel Gracial homers twice in a Los Mochis win. (+Winter League Report) cubanbaseballdigest.com/2026… via @Cbaseballdigest

Sources: Impending Free Agent Adrián Morejón wants to remain a reliever. cubanbaseballdigest.com/2026… via @Cbaseballdigest

🇩🇴⚾ Trevor Bauer vs. Vladimir Gutiérrez: A comparison of two arms in LIDOM. Two international pitchers with different starts to their respective campaigns in the Dominican Winter League. 🇺🇸 Trevor Bauer (Estrellas Orientales) * G: 3 * IP: 7.2 * W-L: 0-1 * ERA: 4.70 * K: 7 * WHIP: 2.09 * AVG against: .231 🇨🇺 Vladimir Gutiérrez (Tigres del Licey) * G: 4 * IP: 19.0 * W-L: 1-1 * ERA: 2.84 * K: 19 * WHIP: 1.05 * AVG against: .188 🔥 Gutiérrez holds the advantage in innings pitched, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and opponents' batting average. He has also recorded 12 more strikeouts than Bauer to begin the season. 👀 Bauer will look to improve his results, while Gutiérrez continues to establish himself as an important piece of the Licey's pitching staff. Which of these two pitchers has impressed you more so far? #LIDOM #EstrellasOrientales #TigresDelLicey #TrevorBauer #VladimirGutierrez

Raynel Delgado drives in a run but the Águilas fall to Licey (+Winter League Report) cubanbaseballdigest.com/2026… via @Cbaseballdigest

🇨🇺🏆 Five players of Cuban heritage have won MLB Rookie of the Year since 2013. José Fernández started the list with the Miami Marlins. Thirteen years later, Sal Stewart joined the group after hitting 32 home runs and driving in 112 runs for the Cincinnati Reds. 🔹 2013 | José Fernández — Miami Marlins, National League 🔹 2014 | José Abreu — Chicago White Sox, American League 🔹 2019 | Yordan Álvarez — Houston Astros, American League 🔹 2021 | Randy Arozarena — Tampa Bay Rays, American League 🔹 2026 | Sal Stewart — Cincinnati Reds, National League ⚾ Fernández, the only pitcher on the list, posted a 2.19 ERA and struck out 187 batters in 28 starts. Stewart played all 162 games and became the first rookie in Reds history with at least 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in a season. 👀 Which of these five rookie seasons impressed you the most? #PelotaCubana #MLB #RookieOfTheYear

Sal Stewart is named the Rookie of the Year in the National League. cubanbaseballdigest.com/2026… via @Cbaseballdigest

☑️🇨🇺🇺🇸 During the regular season, we had the chance to speak with Sal Stewart, the Cuban-American Cincinnati Reds infielder who just won the National League Rookie of the Year Award tonight. 🥵 Months before that conversation, Stewart faced Team Cuba in a tune-up game for the World Baseball Classic and hit a home run against them. 👉🏻 Later, during the MLB season, Stewart spoke with the Cuban Baseball Digest about his Cuban roots, his father’s story, and his hope of visiting Cuba someday. 🇨🇺 Here’s what he told us. “I hope they’ll be free soon. I really want to go back and see where my dad is from. I’d love to play for them in the future, but only if they’re free. I know everything my dad went through to get here and build the life he did for both of us.” 🏆 That conversation takes on new meaning tonight as Stewart is crowned National League Rookie of the Year. ℹ️ Pelota Cubana USA

Julio Pablo and Orlando Martínez RBI's lead Culiacán to a victory. (+Winter League Report) cubanbaseballdigest.com/2026… via @Cbaseballdigest

Lisbel Díaz stays hot in the LBPRC. (+Winter League Report) cubanbaseballdigest.com/2026… via @Cbaseballdigest

👀🇨🇺 Vladimir Gutierrez is drawing interest from MLB clubs. The Cuban right-hander has gotten off to a strong start with Tigres del Licey in the Dominican Winter League. Through his first four starts, Gutierrez struck out 19 batters in 18 innings, going 1–1 with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Opponents hit just .188 against him. 🔥 One of his best outings came against Estrellas Orientales on October 31 during which he tossed five scoreless innings, allowed just two hits and struck out six. ⚾ Gutierrez already has big league experience with the Marlins and Reds. Which MLB club would you like to see give him a shot in 2027?

Five Players With Cuban Roots Among Silver Slugger Nominees. cubanbaseballdigest.com/2026…

☑️🇨🇺 Cuban talent is well represented among the Silver Slugger nominees! Five Cuban-born or Cuban-American players are in contention for the award recognizing MLB’s top offensive performers at each position: ⚾ Miguel Vargas — Chicago White Sox ⚾ Yordan Álvarez — Houston Astros ⚾ Sal Stewart — Cincinnati Reds ⚾ Randy Arozarena — Seattle Mariners ⚾ Zach Neto — Los Angeles Angels 🔥 The group features established stars like Álvarez and Arozarena alongside a new generation making its mark in the big leagues. 🇨🇺🇺🇸 Vargas, Álvarez and Arozarena represent Cuba’s homegrown talent, while Stewart and Neto proudly carry their Cuban roots onto baseball’s biggest stage. 🏆 All five are in the running for one of baseball’s most prestigious offensive honors. 💬 Who do you think will take home a Silver Slugger? #CubanBaseball #MLB #SilverSlugger #PelotaCubana