Despaigne and Arruebarruena Miss Cuba's IV Elite League — Injury and Family Reasons

April 23, 2026

Two of Cuban baseball's most prominent figures, Alfredo Despaigne and Erisbel Arruebarrena, will not take part in the IV Cuban Elite Baseball League, which opens on May 2, according to a Cubadebate report published on April 23, 2026.

Arruebarrena, the veteran shortstop for the Elefantes de Cienfuegos, is recovering from De Quervain's tenosynovitis — a condition affecting the radial tendon on his right wrist that extends to the thumb, causing pain and difficulty gripping the bat. The player widely known as "El Grillo" expressed his desire to join the competition once his recovery permits, and also showed willingness to participate in the upcoming 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo.

Alfredo Despaigne, for his part, notified the Cuban Baseball Federation that personal family circumstances prevent him from competing in this edition of the Elite League. The Federation's president explained that Despaigne is attending to the recovery of his niece, a member of Cuba's artistic skating team, while also handling the repatriation of a relative's remains from abroad. Despaigne is widely considered one of Cuba's most powerful hitters and a regular captain of the national team.

The IV Elite League, running from May 2 to June 19, will open its group stage without two of its most notable participants. Both players represented Cuba at the 2023 World Baseball Classic and remain key figures in the country's national baseball program.