With the Mexican League canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Cuban fireballer Yoanys Quiala will spend the season with the Fubon Guardians in the CPBL.
Hard throwing Yoanys Quiala will spend this season pitching for the Fubon Guardians of the CPBL, despite having signed with the Tijuana Toros of the Mexican League earlier this season.
This is due to the fact that the season in México was canceled early last week due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The flamethrowing Cuban is coming off a magical season in the Mexican Winter League with the Cane Cutters of Los Mochis. Quiala led the circuit in wins (9), WHIP (0.98), and innings pitched (87.2).
The native of Holguin, Cuba was also second in ERA (2.57) and strikeouts (71), all this while opponents only hit .215 against him during the campaign.
As per my sources, the righty threw the hardest pitch this winter in Mexico – a fastball which was clocked at 98 mph.
A pitcher as talented as Quiala figures to slide into the ace spot for the Taiwanese ball club.
#CPBL 🇹🇼 | ¡De acuerdo @GOCPBL, los @FubonGuardians han firmado al derecho cubano 🇨🇺, ex lanzador de los 🐶 #Holguín, Yoanys Quiala! 👏👏
— Drian Bernal ⚾️ / 🇨🇺🇪🇨 (@Drianrogelio) July 17, 2020
El oriundo Mayarí, viene de ser el Pitcher del Año en la pasada temporada de la #LMP 🇲🇽 y llevarse su 2nd #GoldGlove consecutivo! ⭐ pic.twitter.com/4gJcKR3C9X
What is your goal for the season in Taiwan?
Well first it’s to get my visa and we’ll go from there.
In 2018 you had a Jekyll and Hyde winter, yet in 2019 you were the pitcher of the year. What adjustments did you make to attain these results?
The biggest adjustment I made was my pitch sequence. This isn’t a league where you have to pitch hard to be successful, but you do have to throw strikes. Mexican batters make a lot of contact and don’t strike out a lot. In this league, one has to vary the pitch sequence to keep hitters off balance.
What adjustments did you make to your mechanics?
Absolutely none, but my control did get better, and staying healthy did help me a little, too. Due to being in good health, I was able to unleash a 98 mph fastball a couple of times this season.
Compare the Mexican Winter League to the Serie Nacional you played in, in terms of talent?
In my opinion, at the current time, the LMP is a league that has more talent than the Cuban League. You will easily see big league players in México and a handful of Japanese League players, plus players from other professional leagues. Although Cuba has recently had some professional players see action, too, you this in México more frequently.
If you ever had to face Cuba in a Caribbean World Series would you pitch against them?
I definitely would, I would like to see how I’ve evolved as a pitcher since I left. God willing I will get that opportunity someday.
Would you ever like to pitch for Cuba again in an international competition if the opportunity presented itself?
I would love to with all my heart, because I never had that opportunity while on the island. It would give me great satisfaction to represent my country.