Yoennis Céspedes
Encyclopedia
Yoennis Céspedes Milanés (born October 10, 1985 in Campechuela, Granma Province
, Cuba
) is a Cuba
n professional baseball
outfielder
. He was a member of the Cuban national baseball team before defecting.
with Granma during the 2003–04 Cuban National Series, hitting .302/.382/.503 (batting average
, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage). Céspedes received consideration for the Rookie of the Year Award, but lost out to Frank Montieth
.
Céspedes batted .313/.403/.540 in the 2004–05 season. In the 2005–06 season, he hit .351/.444/.649 with 23 home runs, 89 runs and 78 RBI in 88 games. He tied Yulieski Gourriel
for the Serie Nacional lead in runs and was four home runs behind Gourriel for the lead, placing second in the circuit. He tied for 7th in doubles (24), was second in total bases (220, 6 behind Gourriel) and was 4th in slugging. He hit .481/.481/.741 for Cuba in the 2006 Haarlem Baseball Week
as their #2 threat after Yoandry Urgellés
.
Céspedes produced at a .303/.402/.541 rate in the 2006-2007 season with 17 home runs and 79 runs in 89 games. He again led in runs. He also was 5th in doubles (24), tied Yosvani Peraza for third in home runs, was 4th in total bases (184), tied Alfredo Despaigne
for 4th in RBI, tied for 4th in steals (15) and was 6th in slugging. He was 1 for 7 with a steal and a run in the 2007 Pan American Games
in his debut for the Cuban "A" national team.
Céspedes hit .284/.342/.552 in the 2007–08 season
. He was among the league leaders in RBI (tying teammate Despaigne for third with 78), tied Urgellés for 4th in runs (82), was second in home runs (26, trailing only Alexei Bell
) and was 4th in 202 total bases. Due to his lower average, he failed to make the top 10 in slugging.
Céspedes was Cuba's starting center fielder in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
. He hit .458/.480/1.000 with a double, 3 triples, 2 home runs, 5 runs and 5 RBI in six games. He led Cuba in slugging and was second to Frederich Cepeda
in average, OBP and OPS. He tied Cepeda and Yulieski Gourriel
for the team lead in runs and tied Gourriel for second in homers, behind Cepeda. He broke a 1-1 tie against Australia
with a 6th-inning solo homer off Damian Moss
and started a 16-4 romp over Mexico
with a leadoff triple against Pablo Ortega. Yoennis got Cuba's best scoring chance in their last game, a 5-0 loss to Japan
, tripling off Hisashi Iwakuma
but getting stranded. Earlier in that game, he dropped a fly from Michihiro Ogasawara
to let the first two Japanese runs score. Cuba thus missed the final four of an event for the first time ever; they had also made the finals of every global baseball competition since 1959.
Céspedes batted .323/.411/.601 in the 2008-2009 season with 24 homers and 83 runs in 87 games. He tied Leonys Martín
for 4th in the league in runs and tied Rolando Meriño
for third in home runs (trailing Alfredo Despaigne
and Joan Carlos Pedroso
). He was 7th in total bases (197), 9th in RBI (76) and 10th in slugging. He made the All-Star outfield alongside Giorvis Duvergel
and Despaigne.
He started the 2009 Baseball World Cup
as Cuba's starting center fielder but struggled and only hit .194/.275/.333 while being caught in his only steal attempt; Martín replaced him as the event went along. In the Gold Medal game, Yoennis pinch-hit for Yorbis Borroto and got a 9th-inning single off Brad Lincoln
in Cuba's 10-5 loss to Team USA
as they settled for a Silver Medal.
Céspedes hit .345/.426/.617 in the 2009-2010 season with 87 runs and 22 homers in 87 contests. He was third in the league in runs (3 behind leader Yulieski Gourriel
), 10th in hits (118), 8th in home runs, 4th in total bases (211, behind Alfredo Despaigne
, Gourriel and José Dariel Abreu) and was 9th in slugging. He was not picked as an All-Star outfielder as Despaigne, Cepeda and Bell took the three slots.
Céspedes was 11 for 22 with 12 runs, 14 RBI, 2 doubles and four homers in six games at the 2010 World University Baseball Championship
. He drove in six against South Korea and five against China. In the Gold Medal game, he was 0 for 4 with a strikeout as Cuba's #5 batter in a 4-3 win over Team USA
. He made the tournament All-Star outfield alongside Mikie Mahtook and Shota Ishimine. He played for Cuba when they finished second in the 2010 Pan American Games Qualifying Tournament. In the 2010 Intercontinental Cup
, he was 3 for 10 with a double, 3 runs, 4 RBI and a walk as a backup. In the 4-1 win over the Dutch national team
in the Gold Medal game, he was the second of three left fielders Cuba used. He replaced Yoandry Urgellés
, was retired by Berry van Driel, then was replaced by Despaigne.
Céspedes put up a .333/.424/.667 batting line with 89 runs, 33 home runs and 99 RBI in 90 games in the 2010-2011 season. He led the league in runs (five ahead of Cepeda), tied Abreu for the home run lead (breaking Despaigne's league record by one), tied Cepeda for the most total bases (236), tied Ramon Tamayo for 7th in steals (11 in 14 tries), led in RBI (6 ahead of Abreu) and finished 5th in slugging. He was named the All-Star center fielder, joining Despaigne and Cepeda in the outfield.
to seek free agency in Major League Baseball
(MLB). It is expected that he will be declared a free agent during the 2011-12 offseason.
center fielder. Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus
called Céspedes "arguably the best all-around player to come out of Cuba in a generation."
Céspedes is reportedly drawing interest from a number of MLB teams.
Granma Province
Granma is one of the provinces of Cuba. Its capital is Bayamo. Other towns include Manzanillo and Pilón.-History:...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
) is a Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. He was a member of the Cuban national baseball team before defecting.
Cuban career
Céspedes is the son of Estela Milanés, a softball pitcher who appeared in the 2000 Olympics for Cuba. Céspedes debuted in the Cuban National SeriesCuban National Series
The Cuban National Series is the primary domestic amateur baseball competition in Cuba. Formed after the dissolution of the Cuban League in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the Series is a part of the Cuban national baseball system.-League structure:...
with Granma during the 2003–04 Cuban National Series, hitting .302/.382/.503 (batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage). Céspedes received consideration for the Rookie of the Year Award, but lost out to Frank Montieth
Frank Montieth
Frank Andy Montieth Herrera is a right-handed baseball pitcher for Industriales of the Cuban National Series. He has also competed extensively for the Cuban national baseball team, winning a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.During the regular season of the 2005-06 Cuban National...
.
Céspedes batted .313/.403/.540 in the 2004–05 season. In the 2005–06 season, he hit .351/.444/.649 with 23 home runs, 89 runs and 78 RBI in 88 games. He tied Yulieski Gourriel
Yulieski Gourriel
Yulieski Gourriel is a Cuban baseball player. A member of Cuba's national team and Sancti Spíritus in the Cuban National Series, Gourriel is primarily a third baseman, though he has also played other positions, such as shortstop and 2nd base...
for the Serie Nacional lead in runs and was four home runs behind Gourriel for the lead, placing second in the circuit. He tied for 7th in doubles (24), was second in total bases (220, 6 behind Gourriel) and was 4th in slugging. He hit .481/.481/.741 for Cuba in the 2006 Haarlem Baseball Week
2006 Haarlem Baseball Week
The 2006 Haarlem Baseball Week was an international baseball competition held at the Pim Mulier Stadium in Haarlem, the Netherlands from July 21–30, 2006...
as their #2 threat after Yoandry Urgellés
Yoandry Urgellés
Yoandry Urgellés Cobas is a left fielder for Industriales of the Cuban National Series. He was part of the Cuban team that won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens....
.
Céspedes produced at a .303/.402/.541 rate in the 2006-2007 season with 17 home runs and 79 runs in 89 games. He again led in runs. He also was 5th in doubles (24), tied Yosvani Peraza for third in home runs, was 4th in total bases (184), tied Alfredo Despaigne
Alfredo Despaigne
Alfredo Despaigne Rodriguez is a Cuban Outfielder with Granma of the Cuban National Series. He is widely considered to be among the best players playing outside the United States...
for 4th in RBI, tied for 4th in steals (15) and was 6th in slugging. He was 1 for 7 with a steal and a run in the 2007 Pan American Games
2007 Pan American Games
The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to July 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic Committees competed in 332 events in 34 sports and in...
in his debut for the Cuban "A" national team.
Céspedes hit .284/.342/.552 in the 2007–08 season
2007–08 Cuban National Series
The 47th Cuban National Series was won by the defending champion Santiago de Cuba over Pinar del Río, who made it to the finals despite an even regular season record. Santiago had the best regular season record along with La Habana, who lost in the first round....
. He was among the league leaders in RBI (tying teammate Despaigne for third with 78), tied Urgellés for 4th in runs (82), was second in home runs (26, trailing only Alexei Bell
Alexei Bell
Alexei Bell, born October 2, 1983 in El Caney, Santiago de Cuba Province Cuba, is a baseball player for Cuba. He was part of the Cuban team which won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics and earned the batting crown, hit more extra bases than any other player and led the tournament in...
) and was 4th in 202 total bases. Due to his lower average, he failed to make the top 10 in slugging.
Céspedes was Cuba's starting center fielder in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
. He hit .458/.480/1.000 with a double, 3 triples, 2 home runs, 5 runs and 5 RBI in six games. He led Cuba in slugging and was second to Frederich Cepeda
Frederich Cepeda
Frederich Cepeda Cruz is an outfielder for the Cuban national baseball team and Sancti Spíritus of the Cuban National Series. Cepeda was part of the Cuban team that won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and second place at the 2006 World Baseball Classic and 2008 Summer Olympics...
in average, OBP and OPS. He tied Cepeda and Yulieski Gourriel
Yulieski Gourriel
Yulieski Gourriel is a Cuban baseball player. A member of Cuba's national team and Sancti Spíritus in the Cuban National Series, Gourriel is primarily a third baseman, though he has also played other positions, such as shortstop and 2nd base...
for the team lead in runs and tied Gourriel for second in homers, behind Cepeda. He broke a 1-1 tie against Australia
Australia national baseball team
The Australian national baseball team represents Australia in international baseball tournaments and competitions. They are ranked as the top team in Oceania, and are the Oceanian Champions, having been awarded the title in 2007 when New Zealand withdrew from the Oceania Baseball Championship. They...
with a 6th-inning solo homer off Damian Moss
Damian Moss
Damian Joseph Moss is a retired Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher.-Career:After making his major league debut on April 26, , with the Atlanta Braves, Moss would also spend the season in Atlanta, where he placed fifth in the National League Rookie of the Year award...
and started a 16-4 romp over Mexico
Mexico national baseball team
The Mexico national baseball team is the baseball team which represents Mexico in international tournaments. They are currently the eighth ranked baseball team in the world.-Pan American Games:*1951 Bronze Medal *1963 Bronze Medal...
with a leadoff triple against Pablo Ortega. Yoennis got Cuba's best scoring chance in their last game, a 5-0 loss to Japan
Japan national baseball team
The Japan national baseball team is the national baseball team representing Japan in international competitions. They are one of the more successful baseball teams in the world, having won the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009...
, tripling off Hisashi Iwakuma
Hisashi Iwakuma
is a Japanese professional baseball player. He is currently the starting pitcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.As the Eagles' reigning staff ace, Iwakuma won the Eiji Sawamura Award in and played in the 2004 Athens Olympics as well as the 2009 World Baseball Classic for the Japanese...
but getting stranded. Earlier in that game, he dropped a fly from Michihiro Ogasawara
Michihiro Ogasawara
Michihiro Ogasawara is a Japanese professional baseball player. He currently plays first base for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Central League . He played with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters from to .-Career:Ogasawara is one of the most consistent hitters in Japanese baseball...
to let the first two Japanese runs score. Cuba thus missed the final four of an event for the first time ever; they had also made the finals of every global baseball competition since 1959.
Céspedes batted .323/.411/.601 in the 2008-2009 season with 24 homers and 83 runs in 87 games. He tied Leonys Martín
Leonys Martín
Leonys Martín Tápanes is a Cuban baseball player. He defected from Cuba at the 2010 FISU World University Championships in Taiwan in order to become a Major League Baseball free agent....
for 4th in the league in runs and tied Rolando Meriño
Rolando Meriño
Rolando Meriño Betancourt is a baseball player for Cuba. He was born at February 17, 1971 in Santiago de Cuba and was part of the Cuban teams which won silver medals at the 2000 and 2008 Summer Olympics.-References:...
for third in home runs (trailing Alfredo Despaigne
Alfredo Despaigne
Alfredo Despaigne Rodriguez is a Cuban Outfielder with Granma of the Cuban National Series. He is widely considered to be among the best players playing outside the United States...
and Joan Carlos Pedroso
Joan Carlos Pedroso
Joan Carlos Pedroso Brooks is a first baseman for Las Tunas of the Cuban National Series, and the Cuban national baseball team. He was the backup first baseman for the second place Cuban team at the 2006 World Baseball Classic.Pedroso hit .353 with 22 home runs during the 2005-06 Cuban National...
). He was 7th in total bases (197), 9th in RBI (76) and 10th in slugging. He made the All-Star outfield alongside Giorvis Duvergel
Giorvis Duvergel
Giorvis Duvergel, born September 8, 1979, is an olympic baseball player for Cuba. He was part of the Cuban team which won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-References:...
and Despaigne.
He started the 2009 Baseball World Cup
2009 Baseball World Cup
The 2009 Baseball World Cup was an international baseball tournament that started on 9 September 2009. The final was held in Nettuno, Italy on 27 September 2009. It was the 38th time the World Cup took place, and the first time that it was hosted by a continent rather than a single country...
as Cuba's starting center fielder but struggled and only hit .194/.275/.333 while being caught in his only steal attempt; Martín replaced him as the event went along. In the Gold Medal game, Yoennis pinch-hit for Yorbis Borroto and got a 9th-inning single off Brad Lincoln
Brad Lincoln
Brad Eric Lincoln is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Amateur career:...
in Cuba's 10-5 loss to Team USA
Team USA
Team USA is a wrestling faction brought together as part of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's X-Cup Tournaments, which involved a team of X Division superstars from various countries representing their nation in an international wrestling competition.-America's X-Cup:Team USA was created and led...
as they settled for a Silver Medal.
Céspedes hit .345/.426/.617 in the 2009-2010 season with 87 runs and 22 homers in 87 contests. He was third in the league in runs (3 behind leader Yulieski Gourriel
Yulieski Gourriel
Yulieski Gourriel is a Cuban baseball player. A member of Cuba's national team and Sancti Spíritus in the Cuban National Series, Gourriel is primarily a third baseman, though he has also played other positions, such as shortstop and 2nd base...
), 10th in hits (118), 8th in home runs, 4th in total bases (211, behind Alfredo Despaigne
Alfredo Despaigne
Alfredo Despaigne Rodriguez is a Cuban Outfielder with Granma of the Cuban National Series. He is widely considered to be among the best players playing outside the United States...
, Gourriel and José Dariel Abreu) and was 9th in slugging. He was not picked as an All-Star outfielder as Despaigne, Cepeda and Bell took the three slots.
Céspedes was 11 for 22 with 12 runs, 14 RBI, 2 doubles and four homers in six games at the 2010 World University Baseball Championship
2010 World University Baseball Championship
The 2010 World University Baseball Championship is an under-23 college baseball competition being held at Meiji Jingu Stadium in Shinjuku, Yokohama Stadium in Naka-ku, Yokohama, Utsumi-Shimaoka Ballpark in Fuchū and KAIT Stadium in Atsugi, Japan from July 30 to August 7, 2010.-Teams:The following 8...
. He drove in six against South Korea and five against China. In the Gold Medal game, he was 0 for 4 with a strikeout as Cuba's #5 batter in a 4-3 win over Team USA
United States national baseball team
The United States National Baseball team represents the United States in international baseball competition. The United States has won the previous two Baseball World Cups, having lost this title to the Netherlands in 2011, and is currently second in the IBAF World Rankings, behind Cuba.The team...
. He made the tournament All-Star outfield alongside Mikie Mahtook and Shota Ishimine. He played for Cuba when they finished second in the 2010 Pan American Games Qualifying Tournament. In the 2010 Intercontinental Cup
2010 Intercontinental Cup (baseball)
The 2010 IBAF Intercontinental Cup was an international baseball competition, held in Taichung, at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium, and Douliu, at the Douliu Baseball Stadium, Chinese Taipei from October 23 to 31, 2010.-Teams:...
, he was 3 for 10 with a double, 3 runs, 4 RBI and a walk as a backup. In the 4-1 win over the Dutch national team
Netherlands national baseball team
The Netherlands national baseball team is the national baseball team of the Netherlands. They are currently the top team in Europe and currently the sixth ranked men's baseball team in the IBAF World Rankings....
in the Gold Medal game, he was the second of three left fielders Cuba used. He replaced Yoandry Urgellés
Yoandry Urgellés
Yoandry Urgellés Cobas is a left fielder for Industriales of the Cuban National Series. He was part of the Cuban team that won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens....
, was retired by Berry van Driel, then was replaced by Despaigne.
Céspedes put up a .333/.424/.667 batting line with 89 runs, 33 home runs and 99 RBI in 90 games in the 2010-2011 season. He led the league in runs (five ahead of Cepeda), tied Abreu for the home run lead (breaking Despaigne's league record by one), tied Cepeda for the most total bases (236), tied Ramon Tamayo for 7th in steals (11 in 14 tries), led in RBI (6 ahead of Abreu) and finished 5th in slugging. He was named the All-Star center fielder, joining Despaigne and Cepeda in the outfield.
Defection
Céspedes defected from Cuba in the summer of 2011 to the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
to seek free agency in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB). It is expected that he will be declared a free agent during the 2011-12 offseason.
Scouting report
Céspedes is considered a five-toolFive-tool player
In baseball, a five-tool player is one who excels at hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills and speed, throwing ability, and fielding abilities....
center fielder. Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus
Baseball Prospectus
Baseball Prospectus is an organization that publishes a website, BaseballProspectus.com, devoted to the sabermetric analysis of baseball. BP has a staff of regular columnists and provides advanced statistics as well player and team performance projections on the site...
called Céspedes "arguably the best all-around player to come out of Cuba in a generation."
Céspedes is reportedly drawing interest from a number of MLB teams.