Cuban pitcher Darién Morejón at 16 years old signs with the Colorado Rockies

January 21, 2021

Cuban pitcher Darién Morejón signed a contract with American team Colorado Rockies, where he will begin his career in professional sports before turning 17 years old, according to Major League Baseball baseball specialist journalist Francys Romero.

The right-handed pitcher from Havana, who has pitched over 90 miles per hour, will receive a signing bonus of $150,000.

According to Romero, this is the "first Cuban pitcher to sign with the Rockies as an international prospect from the Dominican Republic" as well as the "second pitcher from the Island who enters the organization," where Matanzas native Yoel Monzón was previously.

Morejón will initially play in a minor league affiliate of the Major League team, where his compatriots Yanquiel Fernández, Andy Pérez, Sandry Hernández, and Eddy Díaz are also located.

After leaving the Island in 2019 heading to the Dominican Republic, the young Cuban pitcher attracted the interest of American teams such as the San Francisco Giants, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the St. Louis Cardinals.

During his time in Cuban baseball, Morejón stood out for his performance on the Ciudad Habana team, with which he participated in the National Championship 15-16 where he won two games and lost none, averaged 3.48 ERA, gave up a .267 batting average and only issued five walks in 20.2 innings, while striking out 21 opponents.

Last week it was announced that outfielder Pedro Manuel León Fernández, 21 years old, signed a $4 million contract with the Houston Astros.

León Fernández thus became the second ballplayer from Quivicán, Mayabeque, to sign with a U.S. championship team since 1959.

This same week Cubans Yoelquis Céspedes, Norge Vera, and Yiddi Cappe landed million-dollar contracts in the Major Leagues. The Chicago White Sox signed Céspedes for two million and Vera for 1.5 million while the Miami Marlins contracted Cappe for 3.5 million.