By Swing Completo / contacto@swingcompleto.com
Although many have doubts about the real possibility that the largest percentage of the twelve players who left the Cuba team in the U23 World Cup will one day reach the Major Leagues, almost all agree that the outfielder Geisel cepeda It is the one with more options.
There are multiple reasons that favor the person from Spiritus. Two of them without irrefutable: talent and youth.
Owner of almost all the basic tools of the game, Cepeda was the last to leave the ship directed by Eriel Sánchez in Mexican territory, but he may be the first and perhaps the only one of this dozen to fulfill the dream of donning a uniform of one of the 30 best baseball clubs in the world.
Thanks to a collaborator, Full swing He had access to Geisel just hours after making the decision to set out on a new path, establishing a brief but positive dialogue with him in many respects.
Regarding the decision, he expressed having been something very difficult that at the beginning of the event he was not very clear but that later he was convinced that it would be the best despite the consequences that deserting a delegation brings to Cuban athletes. Especially the fact that if he does not manage to get his family out of the country it will be unlikely that he will be able to see them again in less than eight years.
“It was a difficult step, but in the end I realized that it was for the best. My big league dream can’t wait any longer. The agreement with the MLB does not know when it will return and when that happens, if it happens, I do not know if I will have the age or the conditions to sign. I also have to help my people, so it is not only about my career, but about improving the economy of mine.
Cepeda clarified that his decision to stay did not occur on the last day, but a little earlier, but there was a reason that weighed heavily to wait until the end. «After many had stayed, I knew that doing so would cause a bigger problem, not only because there would be fewer players to face the competition, but because of the responsibility that I had in the team. It was because of my teammates that I rejected every opportunity during the tournament, “said the man in charge of defending the center field of the Cuban squad, in addition to being the natural leader of the squad offensively speaking.
Logically, the Yayabero player did not advance his plans in the immediate future, and although some have already crossed the border and others who stayed in the pre-Olympic gave up residence in a third country, we believe that it is quite possible that he will stay in a country Central American or travel to the Dominican Republic to establish residence and enter the international draft, which as a rule is more economically feasible than the United States amateur draft.
It is worth remembering that Geisel had been suspended just over a year ago for attempting to illegally leave Cuba, but he was finally allowed to play the National Series. Then he was removed from the teams to the events in Florida and Curaçao, but shortly after he was approved a contract in Mexican professional ball and included in the under-23 team that finished fourth in the Mexican world competition.
Talking about all this process prior to the World Cup competition and about the environment experienced during the fair, on and off the field of play, in addition to delving into certain purposes beyond the fact itself of materializing the desire to act in the Major Leagues, were issues that remained on the shelf for the short time of exchange. By the way, his telephone number has already changed from the moment of his abandonment, something typical in this type of situation.
With the promise of a more extensive interview after he achieves free agency and especially that he gets a contract with a Major League Baseball franchise, we end the quick conversation by wishing him the best of success for the future.