There will be some new faces in Obregon this winter.
They’ve strengthened the pitching staff, most notably by adding former MLB long reliever and spot starter Luis Cessa, who split the year between the Triple-A affiliates of the Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates. In his MLB career, Cessa has a 4.43 ERA in 425 innings of work, but his ERA+, an advanced statistic that adjusts ERA to remove ballpark factors and is pegged to the league average ERA, is exactly 100… meaning Cessa is a perfectly average Major Leaguer. The Mayos hope that this perfectly average Major Leaguer can become a star in his first winter ball season.
“I am happy to report to Obregón. It is something that has been sought for a long time, and this year, it finally came to fruition. I come with the idea of helping the team by opening games and achieving goal by goal, being in the first places, qualifying for the playoffs, and reaching the championship, with God’s help,” the Cordoba, Veracruz native said in a team release announcing his signing.
Another interesting addition is Yuhi Sako, a Japanese pitcher who went 6-3 in 16 games for the New Jersey Jackals of the independent Atlantic League, posting a 3.40 ERA in 92 2/3 innings with 78 strikeouts. Sako has never pitched professionally in his homeland but has appeared in two winter seasons with the Canberra Cavalry of the Australian Baseball League, posting a 2.12 ERA in 46 2/3 innings down under.
Lino Rivera is taking the reins as manager, a Puerto Rican who never played in winter ball, though that isn’t a prerequisite for the job. Rivera has previously managed two seasons in the LAMP, having led the Algodoneros de Guasave to a 29-37 mark in 2009-10 and the Tomateros de Culiacan to a 43-23 record in 2012-13 – a year the Tomateros made the league semifinals.
Manager – Lino Rivera (First Season, 72-60 in LAMP)
2023-24 Record – 33-35, Ninth in LAMP
2003-24 Playoff Results – Did Not Qualify
First Game – Friday, October 11 at Naranjeros de Hermosillo – 8:30 p.m. EDT
Mexican Player Draft Selections (Position – 2024 Team or MLB Organization/League)
Number indicates round in which player was selected
1. Nomar Jimenez (P – Kansas City Royals/MLB)
2. Hector Hereuaux Jarquin (IF – Free Agent)
3. Diego Clemente (OF – Pericos de Puebla/LMB)
4. Andres Gallegos (OF – Free Agent)
5. Efren Alvarez Castro (P – Free Agent)
6. Arturo Naum Sevilla (P – Free Agent)
7. Ruben Saldana Alaniz (P – Algodoneros de Union Laguna/LMB)
8. Luis Diego Morales (IF – Pericos de Puebla/LMB)
9. Rafael Valenzuela (P – Leones de Yucatan/LMB)
10. Emiliano Javier Ambrosio (P – Leones de Yucatan/LMB)
11. Manuel Said Aguilar (P – Free Agent)
12. Jesus Felipe Guerrero (C – Bravos de Leon/LMB)
Foreign Player Draft Selections (Position – 2024 Team or MLB Organization/League)
Number indicates round in which player was selected
1. Taylor Williams (P – Algodoneros de Union Laguna/LMB)
2. Daniel Ponce de Leon (P – Diablos Rojos del Mexico/LMB)
3. Chris Carter (IF – Pericos de Puebla/LMB)
4. Yoanner Negrin (P – Leones de Yucatan/LMB)
5. Solomon Bates (P – Guerreros de Oaxaca/LMB)
6. Anthony Alford (OF – Piratas de Campeche/LMB)
7. Rio Ruiz (IF – Conspiradores de Queretaro/LMB)
Photo: Luis Cessa, shown here with the Cincinnati Reds, will make his winter ball debut with the Yaquis de Obregon of the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico in 2024-25. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
