Cuban preliminary selection presented for WBSC Premier12 2024 at press conference in Havana

Cuba Baseball and Softball Federation President Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo held a press conference on Wednesday, introducing 60 players, which will start a training camp on 16 September in preparation for the WBSC Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS.

The training camp players includes six catchers, 15 infielders, 14 outfielders and 25 pitchers. Not all players will be present at the start of training camp as some still play with their respective club.

Manager Armando Johnson Zaldivar, who has been leading the team since September 2022, said he is very pleased with the pre-selection of players and will focus on defence work at the training camp as this was a weak factor in previous events.

Cuba has been invited to an exhibition game against Mexico to inaugurate the Estadio de Tepic in Mexico, which will serve as one of the venues for the Opening Round of the WBSC Premier12 2024. The Cuban team, which will play there will be managed by Ángel Ortega, the current manager of Alazanes de Granma.

Cuba will play the WBSC Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS in Group B, facing Australia, Dominican Republic, Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei during the Opening Round with games held in Nagoya (JPN) and Taipei City (TPE).

The Premier12 presented by RAXUS will be played for the third time and is featuring the Top12 National Team from the WBSC/KONAMI Men’s Baseball World Ranking as of 31 December 2023. The Premier12 will be played from 9 to 24 November in Japan, Taiwan and Mexico.

President Pérez Pardo during the press conference also talked about the participation of the U-12 Cuban national team in the Americas Qualifier in Panama, of the Baseball5 National Team in the WBSC Baseball5 World Cup in Hong Kong and of a Blind Baseball National Team in the WBSC Blind Baseball International Cup in the United Kingdom.