The Matanzas youth baseball team will seek from next March to improve upon the fourth-place national finish achieved in the previous under-18 championship.
The disciples of coach Víctor Cuba will be in the same group as the Elefantes de Cienfuegos, Huracanes de Mayabeque, and the reigning national champions Leopardos de Villa Clara.
The contribution of established players on the roster, such as first baseman Gleen Betancourt and infielder Anthony Navarro Benítez, will be vital to the aspirations of Los Cocodrilos.
Anthony Navarro, a young utility player for the red and yellow team, told us about his future aspirations and the team's preparation ahead of the upcoming national tournament in a recent interview.
Last year, the team came close to reaching the podium. How are you approaching this new tournament and what are the expectations for the competition?
The first goal is to qualify, and after that, to fight for the national title that eluded us in the previous edition of the tournament due to some absences we had at the end of the championship.
As the saying goes, we still have the sting of not having made it to the podium when we had the team to do so, but in sports you win some and lose some; we hope to perform better this year.
You were one of the athletes who had the opportunity, even while still in the youth category, to join the province’s under-23 team for the national tournament. How much did this tournament help your development as a baseball player?
First, I want to thank them for the opportunity and the trust of coach Lázaro Junco, who believed in my potential and gave me the chance to play regularly.
In the under-23 team, I was mainly used as a second baseman, although I am a very versatile athlete, capable of playing in various positions in the infield.
You are one of the pillars within the ninth-grade juvenile team. Has the team management spoken to you about the responsibility you have to guide the younger players and the role you must fulfill?
Yes, Coach Víctor Cuba has talked to me about the responsibility I have, as I am in the final year of the category and must be a role model for the newer players.
The initial idea is to keep playing at the intermediate level and take on the challenge of being the team’s third batter, which represents a commitment to my teammates, but above all, to myself
What are your strengths and difficulties as a player?
My main difficulties used to be in defense. In training, I have worked on improving my fielding and achieving better defensive coverage of the position.
One thing that characterizes me is hitting to all fields and putting the ball in play during crucial moments of the games, which is a trait the coaches try to maximize.
The summer and winter leagues in the municipality of Cárdenas are a development opportunity for young baseball players like you. How much do these types of tournaments contribute to emerging talents in the province?
📢Imágenes de 2do Juego 🦀Cangrejeros vs 🐊Juveniles de Matanzas 📷Photos. By. Yadrián Rivero Buxó Liga de Invierno de...
Publicado por La Banda Yumurina en Sábado, 11 de enero de 2025This type of tournaments helps a lot because, in the end, it keeps the player active almost all year round and allows them to put into practice the skills they develop during training.
Despite having good results in the National Youth Championship and the U-23 National Series, you were not considered for the team that represented us in the World Cup, nor for the preselection of the Cocodrilos. How discouraging is it as an athlete not to be taken into account when the results on the baseball field have been good?
It is a bit frustrating not to be at least in the preselections when the performance was good, but far from discouraging me, I go out every day to give my best on the field and to enjoy my greatest passion, playing baseball.
The performance of young baseball talents from Matanzas, such as Anthony Navarro, inspires confidence in the so-called generational shift that is so necessary in the ranks of the senior team of the Athens of Cuba.
