Cuban-Dominican American pitcher Andrew Pérez, born in Florida and a standout at the University of South Florida, confirmed he has been contacted by the Cuban Baseball Federation about the possibility of representing Cuba at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC). Perez, whose father is Cuban, expressed interest weeks ago in playing for the island nation. If selected, he would become the first player of Cuban descent born outside of Cuba to represent the country in the WBC.
Perez was drafted in the 8th round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox after three strong collegiate seasons. He pitched five seasons in the White Sox organization, reaching Triple-A in both 2022 and 2023. In 2023, he struggled at the Triple-A level, posting a 9.69 ERA in 26 innings with 24 strikeouts before being released.
In 2024, Perez signed with the Charros de Jalisco in the Mexican League, where he improved, recording a 4.84 ERA and 34 strikeouts over 35 1/3 innings. He later pitched in winter ball in the Dominican Republic for the powerhouse Tigres del Licey of LIDOM, becoming a fan favorite with a 1.84 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings—delivering clutch performances in the postseason.
This season, he returned to Jalisco, where he currently holds an 8.66 ERA in a league known for its offense-heavy environment, making it a tough landscape for pitchers.
In an interview with Cuban journalist Yusseff Díaz, Perez spoke candidly about the possibility of representing Cuba:
“They told me they would let me know. They’ll see what they can do. This will be the first time, I suppose, that a Cuban-American plays for Cuba in an international event. They’ll see what path they take and if they can pull it off.”
Díaz also reported that Cuba’s training camp for the 2026 WBC will likely be held in either Mexico or Nicaragua. Most of Cuba’s roster is expected to participate in the Caribbean Series in Venezuela as part of their WBC preparations. However, with MLB spring training looming, MLB players are unlikely to be released for the Caribbean Series. Instead, Cuba is expected to rely on minor leaguers and players outside the MLB system for the event.
Cuba is also exploring the possibility of playing WBC exhibition games against clubs from the Mexican League (Liga Mexicana de Béisbol) during their preparation.
The 2026 World Baseball Classic begins on March 6, with Cuba scheduled to open against Panama.
WBN Cuba: https://worldbaseball.com/league/cuba/
