Los Hermanos Cubanos
At the beginning of February, brothers Lourdes and Yulieski Gurriel traveled with Cuba's Ciego de Ávila team to the Dominican Republic with hopes of capturing the second Caribbean Series title in three years for their native country.
Just a week later, they left Santo Domingo for America, looking to take the next step toward their dream of playing in Major League Baseball.
This photo, taken by Hall of Fame traveling photographer Jean Fruth moments after Ciego de Ávila's 7-2 loss to Mexico in the tournament semifinal on Feb. 6 in Santo Domingo, is likely one of the last images of the brothers in a Ciego uniform.
On Feb. 8, Miami's El Nuevo Herald newspaper reported that Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Yulieski Gurriel defected from Cuba. Lourdes, 22, is considered by many major league scouts to be Cuba's top prospect. His older brother Yulieski, 31, represented his country in all three World Baseball Classics and is considered ready to play now in the big leagues.
According to MLB.com reporter Jesse Sanchez, both brothers have expressed their desire in the past to leave the island nation legally with permission from the Cuban government. Their defection comes amid a flurry of activity between the U.S. and Cuba. President Obama is in Cuba this week as part of his efforts to normalize U.S. relations with its southern neighbor, and he will he will be at Estadio Latinoamericano in Havana on Tuesday when the Tampa Bay Rays play the Cuban national team. It is the first exhibition game featuring a major league team on Cuban soil since the Orioles' visit in 1999.
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On March 16, the U.S. Department of Treasury announced new amendments to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR) that may change the future of major league teams' relationships with Cuban players. As part of the rule changes, Cuban citizens may now earn salaries in the United States, so long as they don't pay special taxes in Cuba. The treasury's announcement specifically listed artists, performers and athletes - such as baseball players like Lourdes and Yulieski Gurriel - as potential beneficiaries of the new amendments. Before this announcement, only Cuban citizens who had begun the legal process of emigrating to the United States were granted the ability to earn salary compensation.
While the Cuban government has not officially responded to this new American legislation, the change could serve as a boost to Major League Baseball's efforts to create legal ways in which Cuban players can come to America without engaging in dangerous trafficking practices. Opening pathways between the two countries could create an inclusive baseball environment in the Americas reminiscent of the 1950s, when the Cuban Winter Leagues featured a blend of remarkable young talent from the major leagues, Negro Leagues and Cuban Leagues.
Matt Kelly is the communications specialist at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
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