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MLB Players: The all-time Cuban team, Part 1 (The Professionals)

By Yusseff Diaz

BALTIMORE - AUGUST 12: Rafael Palmeiro #25 of the Baltimore Orioles watches from the dugout as his team plays against the Toronto Blue Jays August 12, 2005 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. Palmeiro returned to his team yesterday following a 10 day suspension for testing positive for steroid use, but did play as the Blue Jays defeated the Orioles 12-0. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE - AUGUST 12: Rafael Palmeiro #25 of the Baltimore Orioles watches from the dugout as his team plays against the Toronto Blue Jays August 12, 2005 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. Palmeiro returned to his team yesterday following a 10 day suspension for testing positive for steroid use, but did play as the Blue Jays defeated the Orioles 12-0. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by: Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images)
(Photo by: Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images) /

MLB Players: The All-Time Cuban Team (Part 1)

The Outfielders

Jose Canseco is one of the most controversial figures of the last twenty years off the field, but in between the lines, there is no doubting his talent. The Havana born, Miami raised outfielder is the founding member of the 40-40 club and was the AL MVP in 1988.

The slugger was also the AL rookie of the year in 1986 and hit 462 bombs during his career. Canseco was named to the all-star game six times and also won four silver slugger awards. For all these reasons he’s my left fielder.

Cristobal Torriente is the most underrated member of the Hall of Fame and my centerfielder. The lefty slugger was considered one of the first five-tool players in baseball history.

For life in the Negro League Torriente hit .331 and hit over .400 twice during his career. Even though there was a color line the outfielder hit .313 against MLB players in the exhibition matchups between the two leagues.

During his time in the Negro League circuit, he also won two batting titles and massacred major league pitching to the tune of a .378 batting average in the exhibition series between Cuba’s Almendares Scorpions and the New York Giants in 1920, a series that was won by the Cubans 5-4.

My right fielder is unequivocally Tony Oliva, the native of Pinar del Río was the rookie of the in the AL in 1964. During his career which was spent only with the Minnesota Twins, he made eight all-star teams and won three batting titles. He also led the AL in hits five times.

Although defense wasn’t his forte he still managed to win a gold glove in 1966 and was runner up for the AL MVP in 1965.  In his career which was cut short by injuries, he amassed more than 1,900 hits and slugged 220 round-trippers.

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Designated Hitter

My DH without a doubt has to be José Abreu and could the best hitter to defect from the Cuban National Series when all is said is done. In his six seasons in the junior circuit the native of Mal Tiempo, Cuba has hit .293, slugged 179 dingers, driven in 611 runs, and has somewhere north of 1,000 hits.

During his career, he has made three all-star games, won two silver slugger awards and was the rookie of the year in 2014. During his first season as a pro he led the AL in slugging (.581) and OPS+(173), he also had 123 RBI’s last year to lead the American League.

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