Detroit Tigers infielder Andy Ibanez saw the ball well on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs. He hit a solo home run in the first inning off pitcher Drew Smyly and followed it up with a three-run home run in the fourth inning. The two home runs on the day put him at nine home runs on the year.
Ibanez is having a solid year in Detroit. Coming into Tuesday, he was hitting .243/.274/.402 with a career-high 18 doubles.
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Andy Ibanez defected from Cuba in 2014 after playing for the Cuban National Team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. He signed a deal with the Texas Rangers in 2015, and the rest was history.
Ibanez would make his minor league debut in 2016 with the Rangers. He would bounce around from the minors until his contract was selected in 2021.
Ibanez made his MLB debut on May 4, 2021, with the Rangers. He would spend a few seasons there before being claimed off waivers by the Tigers in 2022.
It has not been an easy road to the big league for Andy Ibanez
There is no guarantee for players defecting from Cuba to find a home in professional baseball. They are taking a chance by chasing their dream and putting themselves and their family in a better position.
Players like Andy Ibanez did not have a security blanket they could fall back on. At the time, defected Cuban players would be shunned from returning to the island. Now, MLB and the Cuban Baseball Federation have allowed players to play in the major leagues without being forced to defect. This agreement was made a few years after Ibanez defected.
Cuban ball players can now look up to guys like Yordan Alvarez and Adolis Garcia and know they have a legitimate shot and making it. This is great for the league, as there are some elite baseball players residing on the island.