The Lions of the Escogido, two-time national champions, continue to strengthen their roster for the 2026-2027 season with the addition of three new players: catcher Michael De la Cruz and right-handed pitchers Sauryn Lao and Winston Santos. These joined the team’s training in the Yankees’ academy in New York. The arrival of De la Cruz, Lao, and Santos brings experience and depth to the scarlet team, which seeks to defend the championships conquered in the last seasons.
Michael De la Cruz returns to Escogido as a key piece in the team. He was one of the most important players for Escogido during the 2025-2026 championship conquest. De la Cruz had a standout performance in the Round Robin, where he batted .368 average, with .480 on-base percentage, seven runs batted in, and five scored in 16 games, in addition to receiving 10 bases on balls. His defensive contribution and management of the pitching staff were also decisive. In the Final Series, he maintained his offensive production by registering a .480 on-base percentage. During the summer, he acted with the Pericos de Puebla in Mexico, leaving a .302/.375/.533 offensive line.
Sauryn Lao, 27 years old, returns to the red team after being part of the Escogido championship in the 2024-2025 season. In that campaign, he left a mark of 2-2, with a 3.94 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and seven strikeouts in 16 innings pitched. During the summer, he had experience in Japan with the Nippon Ham Fighters, where he combined in his two circuits a 2.61 ERA, in addition to registering 13 strikeouts and a 1.13 WHIP in 20.2 episodes.
Winston Santos, 24 years old, joined Escogido after being acquired from the Toros del Este on September 27. Although he has not yet debuted in the Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic (LIDOM), Santos had his debut in the Major Leagues this year with the Texas Rangers, where he worked for two innings. Considered the 16th prospect in the organization, Santos has a fastball that reaches 100 miles per hour. In six seasons in the Minor Leagues, he accumulated a record of 31-27, a 4.87 ERA, and 499 strikeouts in 451 innings pitched.
With these incorporations, the Lions of the Escogido continue to add talent to their training and elevate the internal competition ahead of the start of a new campaign of the Dominican winter baseball.
Credits: deultimominuto.com
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