Cuban left-hander Misael Siverio hopes the journey he began last summer will come a few steps closer to completion early next month. The 24-year-old, who defected from Cuba in Des Moines, Iowa last year, is scheduled to throw in front of MLB scouts in Tijuana, Mexico on June 10.
Siverio is officially a free agent after being cleared to sign by MLB and the United States’ Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). He pitched in the Mexican Winter League last off-season, posting a 2.45 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 10 walks in 29.1 innings for the Aguilas de Mexicali. He achieved those results with a steady mix of breaking balls and a fastball that typically sits below 90 mph.
Though Siverio doesn’t have anywhere near the star power that defectors including Aroldis Chapman, Yasiel Puig and Jose Abreu enjoyed as free agents, he has drawn interest from MLB teams before. The Miami Herald reported earlier this year that ten teams have shown interest in Siverio, and the Minnesota Twins were among the teams scouting him, according to ESPN.
Jozzen Cuesta, another Cuban player, will also look to land with a big league organization. However, he has yet to be cleared by MLB and OFAC.
