2024 Caribbean Series Preview: México

[Kevin Barral]

We're taking team-by-team looks at each Serie del Caribe participant, how they stack up against the rest of the competition and what connections they have to the Marlins.

With loanDepot park hosting the Caribbean Series beginning this Thursday, Fish On First will be introducing you to all seven participating teams. First up: México (Naranjeros de Hermosillo).

 

México's Roster

 

 

Marlins Connections

Pitcher Odrisamer Despaigne was with the Marlins from 2016-2018. In those two-and-a-half seasons, Despaigne posted a 4.52 ERA, 3.95 FIP, 5.4 K/9, 3.6 BB/9 and threw 81 ⅔ innings. His tenure came to a close in the midst of the 2018 season when he was dealt to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for cash considerations.

The veteran right-hander posted excellent numbers in the winter ball regular season with Yaquis de Obregon, including a 2.98 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 68 strikeouts and 26 walks in 87 ⅔ innings pitched. He added 24 more innings in the Mexican Pacific League playoffs. Despaigne was selected to join the Naranjeros de Hermosillo when his original team was eliminated (a common practice for other winter leagues as well).

The last time Jeff Kinley was with the Marlins, the organization's AAA affiliate was the New Orleans Baby Cakes. In his five seasons in the Marlins farm system, Kinley had a 3.67 ERA, 8.4 K/9, 3.6 BB/9 in 250 innings pitched. He was released in 2019 and still has not reached the big leagues. This year, with the Algodoneros de Guasave, Kinley posted a 2.47 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 43 strikeouts and 19 walks in 58 ⅓ innings pitched.

Reliever Taylor Williams made six late-season appearances with the 2021 Marlins and posted a 7.11 ERA. Williams was claimed from the San Diego Padres, but the Marlins later DFA'd Williams and he ended up electing free agency at the end of that season. This is Williams' first-ever winter ball experience. He only made four appearances during the 2023-24 regular season, but had an expanded role for Hermosillo in the playoffs (2.89 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 9.6 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 in 9.1 IP).

Catcher Julián León has slashed .176/.348/.314/.662 in 24 games this winter, starting only once in the month of January. He was in the Marlins organization during the 2020 season. Unfortunately, the minor league season was cancelled due to COVID, so the only action he saw was at the alternate training site.

The final player with Marlins ties is pitcher Elkin Alcala. The Colombian right-hander signed with the Marlins in 2015 as a minor league free agent and got all the way up to the Low-A level before being released in 2019. In 73 games in the minor leagues, Alcala posted a 3.40 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 94 strikeouts and 27 walks in 137 ⅔ innings pitched.

Alcala dominated this season with a 1.71 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 25 strikeouts and seven walks in 31 ⅔ innings pitched. He led all winter ball pitchers with 20 saves. He has previous Serie del Caribe experience representing his native Colombia two years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Elkin Alcalá Cardoza (@elkinalcala.c)

 

 

Other Notable Names

Coming off a breakout season with the Tampa Bay Rays, Isaac Paredes has brought that success to winter ball, slashing .355/.494/.613/1.107 with three home runs and 14 RBIs. Paredes is easily the best player on the Naranjeros roster. Paredes is having a bounce-back year compared to his struggles last year in winter ball. In 2022-23, Paredes slashed .125/.297/.238/.535 with two home runs and seven RBIs.

Along with Paredes, at first base, Bobby Bradley slashed .281/.331/.388/.719 with three home runs and 19 RBIs. This was all with the Sultanes de Monterrey before making his way to the Naranjeros where between both teams, he slashed .260/.319/.385/.704 with four home runs and 23 RBIs. Bradley does have MLB experience as he spent three years with the Cleveland Guardians (2019, 2021 and 2022), where he played a total of 97 games and slashed .199/.278/.414/.692 with 17 home runs and 45 RBIs.

Born in Hermosillo, Irving López saw action last season for the St. Louis Cardinals, but it was only in a five-game sample size. He mainly spent the year at the AA and AAA levels where he slashed .260/.368/.420/.789 with nine home runs and 53 RBIs. López is not only a current big leaguer, but also a former FIU Panther. This winter ball season with the Naranjeros, Lopez is slashing .222/.311/.314/.625 with two home runs and 26 RBIs. He should slot as the team's second baseman in this tournament.

 

Serie del Caribe Schedule

• February 1 vs. Curacao, 3:30 p.m.
• February 2 vs. Puerto Rico, 8:30 p.m.
• February 3 at Panamá, 3:30 p.m.
• February 4 at Dominican Republic, 8:30 p.m.
• February 5 vs. Venezuela, 3:30 p.m.
• February 6 at Nicaragua, 10:30 a.m.

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