Rangel Ravelo and Josimar Cousin, two standout Cuban players, have signed deals with Liga Mexicana de Béisbol teams ahead of the 2025 season. Ravelo, a power-hitting first baseman, is returning to Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos, while Cousin, a promising right-handed pitcher, will suit up for Bravos de León.
Transactions in the @LigaMexBeis :
RHP Josimar Cousin signs with the @NacimosBravos .
IF Rangel Ravelo signs with @LaredosTecos .#LMB #Cubanbaseballdigest pic.twitter.com/V18Tt4PMq5
— Cuban Baseball Digest (@CBaseballDigest) February 25, 2025
Rangel Ravelo Returns to Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos
Ravelo, who played the winter season with Cardenales de Lara in Venezuela, was the only Cuban-born player to compete at the 2025 Caribbean Series in Mexicali. In the Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional regular season, he hit .282 with a .422 OBP, collecting 35 hits, five home runs, and 31 RBIs across 39 games. During the LVBP playoffs, Ravelo was a key factor in Lara’s championship run, hitting .391 with two home runs in the finals. His clutch performances continued in the Caribbean Series, where he delivered a crucial two-run single against Puerto Rico and a game-tying RBI single in the 10th inning against the Dominican Republic.
Rangel Ravelo with an RBI single and it is all tied up at 4 in the 10th! pic.twitter.com/FJqCghr9ew
— Jeff Duda (@INTLBaseball24) February 6, 2025
Ravelo previously played for Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos in 2024, appearing in 21 games, where he batted .257 with a .380 OBP and three home runs. The 34-year-old has extensive experience across MLB, NPB, and various winter leagues, making him a valuable asset for Tecolotes’ offense in 2025. Over his career, Ravelo has accumulated a .301 batting average in 5,593 plate appearances, with 1,445 hits, 303 doubles, 121 home runs, and 765 RBIs.
¡Mando esa ⚾ a volar 🕊️!
Rangel Ravelo conecta cuadrangular 💥 solitario, y así aumenta la ventaja en la pizarra para los Tecos 🦉. #GPIalBeis ✌️ pic.twitter.com/qw5IZtdJm2
— Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (@LigaMexBeis) July 18, 2024
Last season, the Tecos de los Dos Laredos finished second in Zona del Norte with a 54-39 record, just half a game behind first-place Sultanes de Monterrey (53-37).
The Tecos de los Dos Laredos will begin the 2025 LMB regular season on April 18 against the Acereros de Monclova on the road at Estadio de Béisbol Monclova in Monclova, Mexico. No game start times have been announced by the league for all 2025 regular season games.
Josimar Cousin Strengthens Bravos de León’s Rotation
Cousin, 26, is coming off a strong winter season with Indios de Mayagüez in Puerto Rico’s Liga Profesional de Béisbol Roberto Clemente, where he pitched in 17 games, recording 16⅔ innings with a 2.70 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts while allowing just 12 hits and five earned runs. His ability to control the game and limit baserunners made him a key piece of the Indios’ pitching staff.
Josimar Cousín 🇨🇺 ya lanza en Spring Training con Chicago White Sox pic.twitter.com/KSbjRbn6xP
— Jerry Díaz 🇨🇺 (@Jerryto94) February 25, 2024
Before playing in Puerto Rico, Cousin spent the 2024 season in the Chicago White Sox minor league system, splitting time between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte. Across 30 games, he pitched 35.1 innings with a 2.80 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and 34 strikeouts, holding opponents to a .195 batting average. Despite becoming a minor league free agent, his strong winter performance helped him secure a spot with León in the LMB.
Josimar Cousin made the start for the #Dash in the series opener. He goes 5 innings allowing 1R (solo HR) on 2H and 1BB. He strikes out 5 on 39/62. #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/07OKSPCgtX
— Ian Eskridge (@dailywhitesox) July 26, 2023
The Bravos de León hope Cousin can bring stability to their pitching staff as they look to strengthen their rotation for the 2025 season. Cousin has demonstrated a solid ability to limit home runs, allowing just five across 35.1 innings in the 2024 minor league season. His strikeout rate of 8.6 per nine innings, combined with a walk rate of 5.9 per nine innings in Puerto Rico, suggests he has the potential to be an effective starter or key bullpen arm for León. His transition to the LMB follows a broader movement of Cuban talent to Mexico, as several former MLB and minor league players continue to find success in the league.
The Bravos de Leon during the 2024 LMB season went 37-53 and ended in eighth place, resulting in not qualifying for the postseason.
The Bravos de Leon will travel to Huimilpan, Querétaro to play the Conspiradores de Querétaro on the road at Estadio Finsus on April 18 to open up the 2025 LMB regular season.
Cuban Talent Thriving in LMB
Ravelo and Cousin join a growing list of Cuban-born players in the LMB, including veterans like Adeiny Hechavarría, Ariel Miranda, Odrisamer Despaigne, and Yadiel Hernández. Their presence underscores the league’s role in providing opportunities for Cuban players seeking high-level competition outside of their home country.
Ravelo, notably, was the only Cuban-born player active in the recently concluded 2025 Caribbean Series in Mexicali, Mexico, standing out among 79 Cuban-born players who competed in the 2024-25 winter league season but were not selected as reinforcements. Representing the LVBP champion Cardenales de Lara, despite a slow start, Ravelo came through in clutch moments for Lara, delivering a crucial two-run single to help defeat Puerto Rico and contributing a game-tying RBI single in extra innings during the semifinal against the Dominican Republic.
The veteran infielder brings extensive experience, having played professionally in Major League Baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals from 2019-20, Nippon Professional Baseball, and numerous winter leagues. Across his professional career, Ravelo has amassed a lifetime .301 batting average in 5,593 plate appearances, with 1,445 hits, 303 doubles, 121 home runs, and 765 RBIs. During the 2024-25 LVBP Round Robin phase, he posted a .293/.364/.466 line with 17 hits, three home runs, and 19 RBIs in 58 at-bats, and in the best-of-seven Championship Series, he batted .391/.481/.739 over six games.
After being released by the Seattle Mariners in July 2024 following an injury-plagued stint, Ravelo aims to rejuvenate his career and potentially attract MLB interest again. In an interview prior to the Caribbean Series, he expressed optimism about his return to Mexico, stating, “Yeah, I’m going back to Laredo. Last year we made the semifinals, and I hope we can take the next step this season.”
The 2025 Liga Mexicana de Béisbol season will begin shortly, offering fans and scouts another opportunity to watch Ravelo’s power and disciplined approach at the plate as he seeks to make another significant impact in international baseball.
