Raisel Iglesias

Raisel Iglesias is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher who plays in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born on January 4, 1990, on the Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth), Cuba.\n\nAfter excelling in Cuban baseball, he defected and signed as an international free agent with the Cincinnati Reds in 2014. In the MLB, he has established himself as one of the most consistent closers in the league, showcasing outstanding control and a repertoire that includes a high-velocity fastball and a devastating shuuto.\n\nIn the 2024 season he strung together 35.1 consecutive scoreless innings, one of the best streaks of his career and among the finest ever by a Cuban-born pitcher in the Majors. In 2025 he signed with the Atlanta Braves, where he continued to anchor the bullpen as closer. In the 2026 season, Iglesias extended a scoreless streak — which started on August 30, 2025 — to 27.2 consecutive innings before seeing it end on May 27, 2026, while still recording his ninth save of the campaign with a 1.80 ERA.