Cuban First Baseman Jose Abreu Defects, Hopes To Play In MLB
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FUKUOKA, JAPAN - MARCH 04: Infielder Jose Abreu #79 of Cuba celebrates after scoring a hit grand slam homer in the bottom half of the fifth inning during the World Baseball Classic First Round Group A game between Cuba and China at Fukuoka Yahoo! Japan Dome on March 4, 2013 in Fukuoka, Japan. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images) (2013 Getty Images)
Another Cuban baseball star bites the dust, fleeing the island in hope to make it as a pro in the United States.
An official newspaper of Cuba reported that star first baseman Jose Dariel Abreu has defected to try and play in the majors.
The weekly Trabajadores newspaper reported Monday that Abreu departed Cuba "illegally and silently" for a Caribbean nation, most likely Haiti or the Dominican Republic, to make a go at making it in Major League Baseball.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}So far, no further details have been provided.
The 26-year-old Abreu played in all six games for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic in March, hitting .383 with three home runs and nine RBIs.
Abreu is the fourth Cuban player to defect in the past two months, adding to the departures of first baseman Yozzen Cuesta, and pitchers Misael Siveiro and Odrisamer Despaigne.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Cuban defectors Yoenis Cespedes and Yasiel Puig have recently signed multimillion dollar contracts to play in the MLB.
Based on reporting by The Associated Press.
Follow us on twitter.com/foxnewslatino
Like us at facebook.com/foxnewslatino