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Player
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Defection
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Notes
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Cuban Team
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Rene Arocha
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Defects on July 4, 1991
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Signed for $15,000 with St. Louis in 1991 - Played for St. Louis 1993-95 - injured elbow in 1996 - Pitched in Mexico in 1999.
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Industriales
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Rolando Arrojo
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Pitcher defected in 1996 just before the Atlanta Olympics
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Signed for $7 million by Tampa Bay and made 1998 All-Star game - Played Rockies then Red Sox in 2000 to 02.
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Villa Clara
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Danys Baez
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Pitcher defected at Pan Am Games in 1999
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With Indians 2001-03, Tampa Bay 2004-05, and Braves and Dodgers 2006. Currently with the Orioles.
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Yuniesky Betancourt
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July 2003
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Signed a 4 year $2,826,000 contract with the Mariners. Currently playing for Mariners.
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Villa Clara
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Barbaro Caņizares
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February 2004
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Signed with the Braves. Currently with the Gwinnett Braves (AAA)
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Industriales
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Alberto Castillo
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Defected in Canada after the Junior Baseball Championships - 1993
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Pitcher - Currently with the Baltimore Orioles
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Junior National Team
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Jose Ariel Contreras
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Defected on October 1, 2002 from the Americas Cup in Mexico
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Signed with the Yankees for $32 million for 4 years. Traded to the White Sox in 2004. Currently with the White Sox..
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Pinar del Rio
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Juan Carlos Diaz
|
Dodgers get player out of Cuba by having a Dominican women pose as his wife in June 1999
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Played with Red Sox in 2002. Currently with the Joliet JackHammers of the Independent Northern League.
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Osvaldo Fernandez
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Defected in Tennessee
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Pitcher signed for $3.2 million with San Francisco. Played for the Giants in 1996-97 and Reds 2000-01. Last with the Tabasco Olmecas of the Mexican League.
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Ciudad Habana
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Barbaro Garbey
|
Left Cuba through Mariel in 1980
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Played with the Tigers 1984-85 and for Texas in 1988. Currently a Batting Coach for the Tennessee Smokies of the Southern League (AA).
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Industriales
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Adrian Hernandez
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Pitcher left Cuba on New Year's Day 2000 flying out of the Airport
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Signed a $4 million contract for Yankees. Made pitching debut in 2001. Last with the Vaqueros Laguna of the Mexican League.
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Industriales
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Livan Hernandez
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Defected in Mexico
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Pitcher was World Series MVP for Florida in 1997 - With Florida 1996-99 and Giants in 1999 to 2002. With Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals 2003-06, Arizona 2006-07, and currently with the Minnesota Twins.
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Isla de la Juventud
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Michel Hernandez
|
Catcher defected in 1996
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Made his debut with Yankees on September 6, 2003. Currently with the Indianapolis Indians (AAA Pirates).
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Industriales
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Orlando Hernandez
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Defected in boat December 1997
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With Yankees 1998 to 2002 and again 2004. With the White Sox in 2005-06 and traded to Mets in 2006. Currently with the Mets.
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Industriales
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Yoslan Herrera
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Pitcher arrived in Miami via boat on June 13, 2005
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Made his debut with the Pirates on July 12, 2008.
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Hansel Izquierdo
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Defected at Miami Int'l Airport in 1993
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Drafted by Marlins in 1995. He had his debut in 2002 with the Marlins. Spent 2003 in the Red Sox organization. Currently with the Olmecas de Tabasco (AAA Mexican).
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Cuban Junior National Team
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Kendry Morales
|
June 7, 2004 via boat to Miami
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Signed with Angels. Currently with the Los Angeles Angels/Salt Lake Bees (AAA).
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Industriales
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Vladimir Nuņez
|
Pitcher signed for $1.8 million with Arizona after defecting in Venezuela in 1995
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With Arizona 1998-99, with Marlins 1999-2003, and Colorado in 2004. Currently with the Braves Organization.
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Industriales
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Edilberto Oropesa
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Defected in Buffalo in 1993
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He had his debut in 2001 with the Phillies. With Arizona in 2002-03 and Padres in 2004. Currently coaching High school baseball.
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Citriculotores
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Rey Ordoņez
|
Shortstop defected in 1993 in Buffalo
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With Mets 1996-2002, Tampa Bay in 2003 and Cubs in 2004. Currently out of baseball.
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Industriales
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William Ortega
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Outfielder signed $200,000 bonus in '97 - He had his debut in 2001 with the Cardinals. Currently out of baseball.
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Industriales
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Brayan Peņa
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May 1999 in Venezuela
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Catcher signed $1.25 million bonus with Braves at age 18. Made ML debut in 2005. Currently with the Omaha Royals (AAA).
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Cuban Junior National Team
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Ariel Prieto
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Came to US in 1994 on a visa
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$1.2 million signing bonus in 1995 with A's. With A's 1995-2000 and with Tampa Bay in 2001. Spent time in the Pirates and Tigers organizations. Last with the Caribes de Oriente (Venezualan Winter League 07-08).
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Isla de la Juventud
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Alexei Ramirez
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Defected to the Dominican Republic in September 2007
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Signed with the White Sox and made team out of spring training
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Pinar del Rio
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Alex Sanchez
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Defected in 1994
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Drafted by Tampa bay in 1996. With the Brewers in 2001-03, Tigers 2003-04, and Tampa Bay and San Francisco in 2005. Last with the Tiburones de la Guaira (Venezualan Winter League 07-08).
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Alay (Alain) Soler
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December 2003
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Signed with Mets. Currently with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League (Ind).
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Michael Tejera
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Defected at Miami Int'l Airport in 1993
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Drafted by Marlins in 1995. With the Marlins 1999-2004 and with Texas 2004-05. Currently with the Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA).
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Cuban Junior National Team
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Jorge Luis Toca
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Smuggled out of Cuba in August 1998
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Oufielder signed $1.4 million with bonus in 1998 - With Mets in 1999-2001. Currently out of baseball.
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Villa Clara
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