(Source: Aguilas de Mexicali)
By Conor Liguori
Cuban-born pitcher Javier Mirabal has signed a contract with the Aguilas de Mexicali in Liga Mexicana del Pacifico, Yussef Diaz of Pelota Cubana USA reported via X on Sunday.
Mirabal will turn 27 in January and has played eight seasons of professional baseball in Cuba in Serie Nacional de Béisbol and Liga Elite de Béisbol. Seven of the eight seasons in his baseball career have been spent with the Naranjas de Villa Clara and Cocodrilos de Matanzas.
He last took the mound with Centrales during the 2022 Liga Elite de Béisbol season, posting a 1-3 record with a 2.81 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 25.2 innings. His career ERA is 4.24, averaging 6.1 strikeouts per nine innings.
In August, The Cuban Baseball Digest reported teams from multiple countries, including Japan and Taiwan, were interested in Mirabal’s services. He was not on the official roster for Cuba in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, but he was on the reserve list in case of injury to other pitchers. Mirabal signed a contract with the Olmecas de Tabasco of Liga Mexicana de Beisbol shortly after the 2023 World Baseball Classic concluded.
Mirabal would have made his professional baseball debut in Mexico this summer with the Olmecas de Tabasco. Still, he never joined the team and did not return to Cuba. Instead, he sought an opportunity to play Major League Baseball in the United States.
In August, Mirabal showcased his pitching arsenal in front of Major League Baseball scouts but has not had serious discussions with any organizations. At his workout, the righty threw his fastball at approximately 94 mph and mixed in a curveball, slider, and changeup (per The Cuban Baseball Digest).
Mirabal’s skillset has piqued the interest of the Águilas de Mexicali (25-25), who are currently tied for fifth place in Liga Mexicana del Pacifico with the Venados de Mazatlán and Yaquis de Obregón. Mirabal can come out of the bullpen or start games for the Aguilas de Mexicali, whose two best pitchers have been veterans Marcelo Martinez (2.24 ERA) and David Reyes (1.74 ERA), who will be the starting pitcher for their next contest on Tuesday.
The Aguilas de Mexicali will play their next game on Tuesday, December 12, at 9:30 p.m. ET against the Charros de Jalisco (21-29) at Estadio Nido de los Águilas. Their most recent LMP championship title was in 2016-17 when they defeated the Caneros de Los Mochis four games to two.