Dayron Varona

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Varona and the second or maternal family name is Suarez.
Dayron Varona
Outfielder
Born: (1988-02-24) February 24, 1988
Havana, Cuba
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Stats at Baseball Reference 

Dayron Armando Varona Suarez (born February 24, 1988) is a Cuban former professional baseball outfielder.

Career

Tampa Bay Rays

Varona played for Camagüey in the Cuban National Series (CNS) through 2013, while also playing for the Naranjas de Villa Clara in 2012.[1] He was suspended from CNS play in November 2013 for an attempted defection.[2][3][4] He successfully defected from Cuba the next week[1] and signed a minor league contract with the Rays in March 2015.[5][6] The Rays assigned him to the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the High-A Florida State League in May,[7] and was promoted to the Montgomery Biscuits of the Double-A Southern League.[1] In 84 total appearances for the two affiliates, Varona batted .286/.324/.477 with 11 home runs, 60 RBI, and six stolen bases.

During President Barack Obama's March 2016 visit to Cuba, Varona played for the Rays against the Cuban national team at the Estadio Latinoamericano in Havana. The Rays won the game, and Varona became the first Cuban defector to return to play in Cuba.[8] Varona played for the Durham Bulls of the Triple-A International League in 2016, slashing .232/.274/.407 with 14 home runs, 59 RBI, and 10 stolen bases across 118 appearances. He returned to Durham for the 2017 season, hitting .268/.325/.479 with two home runs, nine RBI, and three stolen bases in 19 games.[9]

Varona was released by the Rays organization on June 3, 2017.

York Revolution

On June 21, 2017, Varona signed with the York Revolution of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. In 56 appearances for the Revolution, he batted .277/.318/.416 with four home runs, 36 RBI, and three stolen bases. Varona became a free agent following the season.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Dayron Varona se encuentra a sí mismo". Diario de Cuba (in Spanish). Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  2. ^ "Dos peloteros cubanos suspendidos por intento de fuga de la isla". El Nuevo Herald (in Spanish). Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  3. ^ "Cuba está perdiendo calidad: Varona". ESPNdeportes.com (in Spanish). February 3, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  4. ^ "Dayron Varona y Jorge Hernández, excluidos del campeonato nacional tras un 'intento de salida ilegal'". Diario de Cuba (in Spanish). Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  5. ^ "Rays ink Cuban Dayron Varona to Minor League deal". Major League Baseball. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  6. ^ "Sobre Dayron Varona y otras bajas en la actual 53 Serie Nacional de Béisbol" (in Spanish). Crono Deportes Online. Archived from the original on November 22, 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  7. ^ "Dayron Varona added, Ryne Stanek promoted in flurry of Stone Crabs roster moves". SUNCOAST SPORTS NOW. Archived from the original on December 4, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  8. ^ "Rays beat Cuban team with Barack Obama, Raul Castro in attendance". ESPN. March 22, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  9. ^ "Dayron Varona back on active roster, makes big impact | News & Observer". Archived from the original on April 13, 2018.
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