MLB Players: The all-time Cuban-American team
By Yusseff Diaz
MLB Players: The All-Time Cuban-American Team
Outfielders: My centerfielder Jon Jay has been the consummate pro and a very productive leadoff hitter. In his 10 year career Jay has over 1,000 hits and an above-average .350 OBP. The Miami born son of Cuban immigrants has a solid .996 fielding percentage and 34 assists during that time.
Luis González had a borderline Hall of Fame career during his 19 years in the big show. The sometimes left fielder accumulated more than 2,500 hits, 350 homers, and 1400 RBI’s. The Tampa, Florida native is a five-time all-star and won a silver slugger during his immaculate 2001 season, a year in which he slugged 57 bombs and had the deciding hit in game seven of the World Series against the great Mariano Rivera.
When it is all said and done Julio Daniel Martinez might end up being the best Cuban-American hitter of his generation. After an inauspicious start to his career, Martinez has transformed into possibly a once in a lifetime hitter. During his 9 year career he has a robust .294 average and has slugged 231 longballs. His more than 1,100 hits and a slash line of .357/.537/.894 have him halfway to a Hall of Fame induction. He is also a three-time all-star and was nominated for a gold glove in 2015 and although he didn’t win he’s a more than capable right fielder.
Related Story. MLB Players, Cuban all-time team, Part 2 (Serie Nacional). light
Designated Hitter: Raul Ibáñez was a professional hitter in the definition of the word. His more than 2,000 base knocks and 300 dingers support that argument. Although he was only elected to one all-star his bat was very feared for years. His more than 1,200 RBI’s include four seasons with at least 100 driven in. For his career he averages more than 23 homers and 90 runs batted in per campaign to go along with a solid .272 average. Ibáñez also has the distinction of pinch-hitting for Alex Rodríguez in a playoff game, an at-bat in which he homered against Baltimore’s Jim Johnson.