Cuban left-handed pitcher Briant Canino, from Sancti Spíritus, recently left Cuba for the Dominican

Republic in search of a professional contract with a Major League organization.

According to specialist Francys Romero in his

Facebook profile, "lefty pitcher Briant Canino left Cuba recently and will seek to sign with an MLB organization from the Dominican Republic."

"He is 17 years old and is from Sancti Spíritus. He comes off a 5-1 record, with a 1.04 ERA, 33.

2 IP, and 48 SO in 8 starts from the last U-18 National Championship," he added.

This week, Romero

reported the departure of another young pitching prospect from Cuba, also originally from Sancti Spíritus.

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Robier Hernández, a 16-year-old Cuban pitcher, recently left Cuba to seek a contract with a Major

League team, following in the footsteps of his brother, Roberto Hernández.

According to close sources, the young Sancti Spíritus native hopes to join an MLB organization, as

reported on Facebook by sports journalist Francys Romero.

"He participated in the U-15 World Cup in 2022 with Cuba. He has the potential to be a starter, stands

6'3" and can throw over 95 miles per hour. He is the 17th out of 20 players to leave the country from last year's Cuba U-15 team (85% of the team)," he wrote.

Romero also reported that "Robier is from Sancti Spíritus and is the brother of Roberto Hernández

, who signed with Cleveland and, after returning to Cuba, joined the team for the U-23 World Cup and the preliminary selection for the V World Baseball Classic."

At least 106 Cuban athletes, 44 women and 62 men, have left Cuba through various means in 2023, according

to research by CubaNet.

Analysis by independent media and statements from the athletes themselves confirm that baseball leads

the figures, with 41 defectors, followed by field hockey with 12, and handball with 10 athletes emigrated.

Among the baseball defections is that of Jonathan Valle, just 15 years old, who left for the Dominican

Republic in January 2023. Other names that followed include Cristian de Jesús Zamora, Ronald Elías Terrero, Yariel Rodríguez, Geisel Téllez, Edelvis Pérez, and Ernesto Santi, adding to a list that seems endless.