Analysts highlight the absence of star players and the lack of visas.
14ymedio, Havana February 22, 2026 – Cuba is considered one of the weakest teams in the World Baseball Classic, agreed U.S. Major League Baseball analysts Will Leitch and Michael Clair. The sports commentators point to the United States, Japan, and the Dominican Republic, where several Cuban players have defected, as the favorites.
Leitch, founder of the sports blog Deadspin under Gawker Media, emphasized the changes both on and off the field, noting that the current squad is far removed from the 2006 team, which drew attention as a “mysterious and intriguing” group that ultimately reached the championship game.
The analyst also recalled that, for various reasons, several players declined to join the team managed by Germán Mesa. “There is only one active Major League player on this edition of the Cuban team (Yoán Moncada),” he said.
According to Leitch, “It will be fun to see Alexei Ramírez, 44, on the team, nearly a decade after his last Major League game.” The commentator added that every time the veteran “comes to the plate, I’ll think of Hawk Harrelson’s call during Mark Buehrle’s perfect game: ‘Alexei?!’”
The analysis notes that Ramírez is not exactly a “new” player to watch in the World Baseball Classic. “He is the oldest player in the tournament. Ramírez—yes, the same Alexei Ramírez who retired from Major League Baseball a decade ago in 2016—returns to play for Cuba at 44, and frankly, we’re very curious to see what kind of numbers a 44-year-old retired Major Leaguer can produce.”
In response to these remarks, the specialized outlet Swing Completo acknowledged that the Cuban team “lacks well-established names, especially after several key players—Andy Pagés, Andy Ibáñez, Daysbel Hernández, Víctor Labrada, and Ernesto Martínez—withdrew their initial interest in joining.”
Manager Mesa will have to “lean on two standout pitchers at the top level of Japanese baseball, Liván Moinelo and Raidel Martínez, as well as reliever Yariel Rodríguez and young left-handed starter Daviel Hurtado, who has stood out in the New York Mets’ minor league system.”
Adding to the challenges, Cuban players currently in Managua lack visas to enter the United States. “No one who is there today in Nicaragua has a visa in hand yet,” journalist Yordano Carmona said.
In a recent interview, manager Germán Mesa maintained that historically visas have never been denied to the team. The federation insists that efforts are ongoing. Meanwhile, the players continue training as if their participation in the World Baseball Classic were assured.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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