From the Cuba Team to sign with the Angels and achieve a spectacular debut

By Pablo Picardo

Baseball is one of those sports that requires a lot of effort but without a doubt it is necessary to have the talent that only the chosen have to shine on the field. Pitchers like Liván Hernández, Luis Tiant, Aroldis Chapman had to carry out exhausting days of work, but without a doubt their talent led them to become the example of many young people who dream of reaching the Major Leagues.

One of these highly talented young men is George William Marchecowho began playing at the Hermanos Blanco field in his native Granma province, where he began that great love for baseball that he feels today, and the dream of climbing a mound in the Majors.

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From the hand of coaches such as Luís Zamora, Alexie Gómez and Ramón Marrero, who unfortunately passed away before seeing his pupil in action as a professional. He quickly learned the basics of baseball that made him one of the top prospects in his province.

You had the opportunity to go through the so-called high performance pyramid in Granma until you left Cuba. What comes to your mind from those moments?

-It was a unique experience together with my colleagues with whom I shared unforgettable years of competitions in other provinces.

Upon reaching the U-15 category, you lead the squad with an offense of (.323AVE/ 8 extra-base hits, 18 RBIs) and extraordinary pitching with a speed between 84, 87 miles (6 wins, .209 AVE, 2.41 PCL, 1.07 WHIP and 70 strikeouts) until taking them to the medal discussion. Do you think this was the best moment of your sports career in Cuba?

-It was the best moment of my sports career in Cuba, thanks to that great year I was able to fulfill my first dream in baseball, which was to make up the National Team, to put on the jacket with the four letters so loved by us.

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“In the Cuba team, on the other hand, we had good chemistry and it was very good teamwork. Thanks to that we got the medal, it was an inexplicable experience and a great dream come true.

The pitcher, barely 19 years old and 1.85 meters tall, is a faithful follower of the Mets’ star pitcher Jacob deGrom, to the east mastering all the aspects that a pitcher should have: good mechanics, excellent speed and great command of hitters. Although since childhood he admired Norge Luis Vera for his great humility and great talent throughout his career.

In Cuba you performed both functions (batter-pitcher) with great quality. What led you to choose to be a pitcher only?

-Despite my great batting performance, I always felt more inclined towards pitching. Every time I went up to the mound I felt a great adrenaline rush.

How were the training sessions outside of Cuba?

-The training sessions are totally different, here they are stronger, they focus less on playing and more on preparing you physically. My main focus has always been working hard in the gym so I can strengthen my arm so I can put on the miles faster.

In a short time you manage to sign for the Angels. How did you receive that news?

-It was a great emotion. The dream of most baseball players is to become a professional. The first thing that came to my mind was being able to give that great news to my grandmother and see her emotion as well as my parents.

During your debut you struck out 20 in just nine walkless innings. How was this job possible, how do you think this first foray into the Minor Leagues was?

-I prepared myself strong both mentally and physically to be able to give my best performance, in the same way I studied the hitters and their weaknesses to achieve this result. It was an excellent season that despite being short, I made the most of it.

You have good speed down the fastball, what other pitches are part of your repertoire?

-Along with my fastball, I rely on my curveball, splitter and changeup. But locating these is the key to being successful in each of my outings.

With a view to the next season, what are your main goals?

-My main goal is to climb the minor league system, to be closer to my goal every day, which is to reach the MLB.

A message that you want to send to all those young people who are still struggling to reach a signature.

-Tell them to never give up and have a lot of confidence in their talent, that no dream is easy but it is not impossible either.

Who do you thank for supporting your sports career?

-First of all, I thank God for the blessings, my grandmother and my parents for always being there for me, and also Edgar Mercedes, who was a fundamental pillar in obtaining my signature.

We would love to say thanks to the author of this short article for this incredible material

From the Cuba Team to sign with the Angels and achieve a spectacular debut