Oswaldo Cabrera of the New York Yankees smiles prior to a game against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 9, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images)
By Matthew Tallarini
World Baseball Network
New York Yankees utility player Oswaldo Cabrera will play for Tiburones de La Guaira for the 2023-24 Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional season, the team announced Friday.
Cabrera, 24, born in Guarenas, Venezuela, will be playing in his first season in the winter leagues during his professional career.
Cabrera has been splitting time between Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre and the Major League club during the 2023 Major League Baseball season.
Cabrera has played in 85 games with the Yankees, batting .209 in 227 plate appearances and recording 43 hits, eight doubles, four home runs, 23 RBI, seven stolen bases, 16 walks and 51 strikeouts.
In Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Cabrera has played in 10 games with 46 plate appearances, batting .225 and recording nine hits, one double, two home runs, six RBI, two stolen bases, and five walks.
Last season, Cabrera made his Major League debut on August 17, 2022 after being placed on the 7-day injured list on May 16, 2022.
In 2022, Cabrera played at the complex level, Low-A Tampa, Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre before being called up to the majors. In 52 minor league games he batted .269 with 226 plate appearances recording 53 hits, 13 doubles, three triples, nine home runs, 32 RBI, 13 stolen bases, and 22 walks with an .851 OPS.
During the 2021 season, Cabrera split his time between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre playing in 118 games with 514 plate appearances batting .272 recording 127 hits, 31 doubles, two triples, 29 home runs, 89 RBI, swiping 21 bases, and 41 walks including a .863 OPS which resulted in winning the Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award, Eastern League Postseason All Star nominee, and MiLB.com Organization All-Star Award.
Cabrera has been with the Yankees organization since he signed a minor league contract as an international free agent contract on July 2, 2015.
The Tiburones will have Venezuelan legend Edgardo Alfonzo as the manager for the 2023-24 winter league season. It will be his first year with the club.
The 2023-24 Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional season will start in October, during the middle of the Major League Baseball playoffs. The 2023-24 season schedule will be announced in the next few weeks.