Cionel Pérez

Cionel Felix Pérez

• Bats Right, Throws Left
• Height 5' 11", Weight 170 lb.

• Debut August 11, 2018

• Born April 21, 1996 in Havana, Havana Cuba

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Biographical Information

Left-hander Cionel Perez had a pretty rough time making it to pro ball. As a child he was known to be hyperactive and his parents took him to a psychologist as a result. Originally a center fielder, Perez was not a great hitter. He said he couldn't generate much power because he was too skinny. At age 15 he converted to pitching. In May of 2015, his father made a plan to flee Cuba and move to the United States with his family. This was an issue though as Cionel's wife Devora was pregnant and he didn't want to leave her behind, and possibly never see his son once he was born. The family eventually tried to escape but were arrested and questioned, however they were released shortly after they recognized Cionel as a well-known baseball player. They tried again and managed to escape to Haiti then crossed the border over to the Dominican Republic where they lived for a few months. Cionel attempted to enroll at a sports academy in the Bahamas then planned to move to the U.S. In December of 2015, Cionel's mother and brother-in-law headed for Puerto Rico while Cionel and his father headed for the Bahamas. Along the way they met another ballplayer attempting to defect from Cuba named Norge Ruiz and his wife who were also staying in the Dominican Republic. All four of them were arrested in Haiti on Christmas Eve since they had illegally entered the country. The three men were sent to a holding cell while Ruiz's wife was sent somewhere else. Cionel recalled it as a rather terrifying time since they all had to share the cell with a man arrested for murdering his wife and another man who was covered in blood. Four days later, they were moved to a prison which he said was even worse. He described it as a 15x15 foot cell with nearly a hundred men (some stacke on top of one another) who were only allowed to leave their cramped cell for a few minutes a day. He described having to sleep on the floor and how they all had to go to the bathroom in a designated corner on the floor. Perez began to lose hope and said he even considered just wanting to die in the cell or be deported back to Cuba when one day the three men were suddenly released, presumably by the officials being paid-off. On January 1, 2016, they headed for the Bahamas. In September he was signed to the Houston Astros by Eve Rosenbaum for $5.15 million, however the contract was voided due to a failed physical. In December, he was signed again by the Astros this time for $2 million.

Related Sites

• Cionel Pérez on mlb.com