Cuba has announced that Victor Mesa will be the manager during the 2013 World Baseball Classic. During the press conference last Friday in Havana they also presented a 41-man preliminary roster, which will be cut to 28 at the end of the year. They will re-open training camp on October 9 and 10 and will be playing seven intra-squad games between October 15 and 24. Afterwards the team travels to Asia for its games in Taiwan and Japan. Additionally Cuba will face Panama in Panama, as the Central Americans are currently preparing for the WBC Qualifier in Panama City.
Cuba is playing against Japan, China and one of the qualifying teams in the first round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic at the Fukuoka Dome from March 2 to 6, 2013. According to the report by BaseballdeCuba.com, the full first-round groups will be announced prior to the winter meetings in Nashville, Tennessee on December 2.
Preliminary Cuban Roster:
Catchers (6) : Ariel Pestano Valdés (Vcl), Frank Camilo Morejón Reyes (Ind), Yulexis La Rosa Águila (Vcl), Yosvany Alarcón Tardío (Ltu).
Infielders (13): José Dariel Abreu Correa (Cfg), Yordanis Samón Matamoros (Lltu), Alexander Malleta Kerr (Ind), Juan C. Torriente Núñez (Ind), José Miguel Fernández Díaz (Mtz), Yulieski Gourriel Castillo (Ssp), Yurisbel Gracial García (Mtz), Michel Enríquez Tamayo (Ijv, Dayán García Ortega (Art), Erisbel Arruebarruena Escalante (Cfg), Yordan Manduley Escalona (Hol), Roberto Carlos Ramírez Puente (Ind), Luis Yander La O. Camacho (Scu).
Outfielders: (7): Alfredo Despaigne Rodríguez (Grm), Frederich Cepeda Cruz (Ssp), Rusney Castillo Peraza (Cav), Guillermo Heredia Molina (Mtz), Alexei Bell Quintero (Scu), Yasmany Tomás Bacallao (Ind), Ariel Sánchez Sánchez (Mtz).
Pitchers (17): Yadier Pedroso González (Art), Odrisamer Despaigne Orué (Ind), Dalier Hinojosa Hernández (Gtm), Freddy A. Álvarez Sáez (Vcl), Ismel Jiménez Santiago (Ssp), Vladimir García Escalante (Cav), Norberto González Miranda (Cfg) (Z), Pablo Millán Fernández Rojas (Hol), Darién Núñez Arias (Ltu) (Z), Leandro Martínez Figueredo (Grm) (Z), Yoanni Year Montalvo (Mtz) (Z), Miguel Lahera Betancourt (Art), Alexander Rodríguez Matos (Gtm), Félix Fuentes Ortiz (Mtz) (Z), Yander Guevara Morales (Cav), Erlis Casanova Cabadas (Pri), Carlos Juan Viera Álvarez (Ltu)