Cuban right-handed pitcher Rafael Sanchez he will not be part of the Cuba team in 2026 World Baseball Classicas reported by journalist Francys Romero on his social media.
Sánchez, 26 years old and belonging to the Toronto Blue Jays organization, comes from an injury suffered in 2025which is why the club advised him to prioritize thorough preparation during Spring Training ahead of next season, the quoted insider said.
The pitcher himself communicated his decision to the Cuban baseball authorities. As reported, Sánchez is scheduled to begin the 2026 campaign in Triple-A with Buffalo as he completes his recovery and preparation process.
In this way, his name remains excluded from the list of 35 players published by various specialized spaces, with the presence of the following athletes:
Receivers
Andrys Pérez
Omar Hernandez
Ariel Martinez
Field players
Bárbaro Erisbel Arruebarruena
Alexei Ramirez
Ernesto Martínez Jr.
Andy Ibanez
Yoan Moncada
Yiddi Cappe
Alexander Vargas
Gardeners
Andy Pages
Yoelkis Guibert
Victor Labrada
Roel Santos
Alfredo Despaigne
Yoel Yankee
Throwers
Liván Moínelo
Raidel Martinez
Randy Martinez
Julio Robaina
Yoan Lopez
Darien Núñez
Pedro Santos
Francis Texido
Emmanuel Chapman
Yariel Rodriguez
Daysbel Hernandez
David Hurtado
Lazaro Estrada
Denny Larrondo
Silvano Hechevarría
Jorge Marcheco
Jousimar Cousin
Osiel Rodriguez
The final list that will represent Cuba in the World Classic will be defined later, once the training sessions have been concluded, the availability of the players has been clarified and the pending medical and contractual factors have been resolved.
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