The SoftBank Hawks have completed contracts with Cuban outfielders Alfredo Despaigne and Yurisbel Gracial, according to a report from Cuba’s Radio Santa Cruz on Thursday.
The Nikkan Sports reported the deals were for two years each.
According to Delta Graphs, Despaigne, a two-time Best Nine Award-winning designated hitter, averaged about 2 WAR a season, while Gracial, whom the Hawks also play at third base was 2.3 over his two seasons in Fukuoka. Their NPB player pages in English are here:
The Hawks have not won the Pacific League pennant since 2017, but having won the PL playoffs the past two seasons, are now in the hunt for their fourth-straight Japan Series championship.
The Hawks also have lefty Livan Moinelo on their roster, along with outfielder-pitcher Oscar Colas, who has since defected from Cuba in the hopes of signing with a major league team.
