Prieto and his then-teammates arrived in Florida on Wednesday to compete in an Olympic qualifying tournament.
Cuban baseball player César Prieto, a highly touted 22-year-old infielder, ditched the Cuban national team Wednesday and defected to the United States. Prieto and his then-teammates arrived in Florida on Wednesday to compete in an Olympic qualifying tournament. Hours after the team’s arrival, the Cuban Baseball Federation released a statement confirming Prieto’s departure.