• Submitted by: lena campos
• Sports
• 11 / 20 / 2013

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Two more members of Cuba's team in this year's World Baseball Classic have defected from the island to pursue a career in the majors, according to multiple news media reports.

Erisbel Arruebarruena, Cuba's starting shortstop in the WBC, and reliever Raicel Iglesias are said to be training in the Dominican Republic and Mexico, respectively, according to the Spanish daily El Nuevo Herald in Miami. Both players are seeking to establish residency in those countries so they can apply for free agency and negotiate with MLB teams.

In late October, their WBC teammate Jose Dariel Abreu signed a six-year, $68 million deal with the Chicago White Sox, the largest contract ever given a Cuban defector. Also in October, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Cuban infielder Alexander Guerrero for four years and $28 million.

Arruebarruena and Iglesias, both 23, are not expected to command those types of figures, but they have drawn interest from big-league clubs.

Arruebarruena, who batted .375 in six WBC games, is known as an outstanding defensive shortstop in the mold of Jose Iglesias. In his last three seasons with Cienfuegos of the Cuban league, Arruebarruena improved his batting average from .256 to .333 and raised his on-base plus slugging percentage to .911 in 2011-12 before being banned last season after being caught trying to leave the island.

The right-handed Raicel Iglesias pitched in relief both in the WBC and for his Cuban team, Isla de la Juventud, going a combined 4-3 with a 3.71 ERA in 58 games (three starts) in the last two seasons.

Both Arruebarruena and Iglesias were detained in Cuba in September for trying to defect. If they gain free agency, they may follow in the steps of a string of Cuban players who have reached the majors in recent years, making a strong impression.

Among them, Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez was named last week the National League rookie of the year, with Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig as the runner-up. In the American League, the Detroit Tigers' Iglesias finished second in the rookie voting, the same as Oakland Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes last season.

Source. UsaToday.com