Central STL News

Making his way from Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park to the team hotel following his MLB debut, César Prieto reflected on the journey that brought him to the St. Louis Cardinals. The 26-year-old infielder, originally from Cienfuegos, Cuba, recalled defecting from his home country and the Cuban National Team on May 26, 2021.

During an Olympic qualifying tournament in West Palm Beach, Florida, Prieto left the team bus and ran to a waiting car that took him away from the Cuban delegation. He described this moment as pivotal in his life and emphasized its lasting impact after realizing his dream of playing Major League Baseball with the Cardinals.

"There were a lot of emotions when I was walking back to the hotel last night,” Prieto told reporters through translator Kleininger Teran in Cincinnati before Saturday’s game against the Reds. “All that went through my mind was the process that I went through to make it here. To finally make it now, it made me really happy.”

Prieto said he considered defecting for years but faced opposition from family members, including his grandfather and parents. However, he remained determined to pursue baseball at its highest level. He worked with Florida residents Billy Henderson and Jo Hastings for three years to coordinate his defection. Although initially planning to leave upon arrival at Miami International Airport, Prieto ultimately seized an opportunity at the team hotel instead.

“I was super nervous all day, and I just tried to not think about the bad stuff,” Prieto recounted recently. “I made my decision, and I just kept thinking positive and hoping everything would go well. I did it and I’m so happy that I did.

“But, yeah, that (sprint to the car) was like the craziest 30 seconds of my life.”

Prieto’s aspirations were strengthened during an Under-18 tournament in Thunder Bay, Ontario in 2017—the first time he had traveled outside Cuba—where exposure to advanced equipment led him to believe he could play professionally in MLB.

“In that tournament in Canada, that’s when I really found out that I could play at a high level,” he said. “In that tournament, there were a lot of top MLB prospects, and I had good numbers, and I thought to myself, ‘Maybe I can be an MLB prospect too.’”

Despite hearing stories about failed defections by other Cuban players such as Yasiel Puig—and facing delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic—Prieto pressed ahead with his plan when security around his team appeared limited.

“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life, and I was so nervous,” he admitted. “But, that day there was only one guard with the team. We had a lot of players and there was only one guard, and that's why I made the decision to run.”

After blending into crowds at a nearby mall following his escape—and contacting family—Prieto experienced mixed feelings of relief and sadness about leaving home.

“It’s hard to explain my emotions from that time,” said Prieto. “I was so happy and saying ‘U-S-A,’ ‘U-S-A.’ But at the same time I was sad. All those emotions kept going back and forth. I had a few tears but I'm not the type who likes to cry.”

Prieto spent time training in Clearwater, Florida before signing with Baltimore for a $650,000 bonus. In 2023 he became part of a trade deal sending pitcher Jack Flaherty away from St. Louis; Prieto finished last season with Triple-A Memphis before earning promotion this year after posting strong numbers: .295/.359/.448/.807 along with 29 doubles nine home runs and 62 RBI.

Reflecting on both challenges abroad and adapting stateside after arriving alone—with language barriers—Prieto concluded: “I feel like I was born again. It’s like I am a new person now,” adding about his move: “It was so hard for me at first because I didn’t know many people here. But, I made a better life for myself and I know I made the right decision.”