Brayan Pena, MLB catcher and Cuban defector, to join U.S. Army Reserve

Scott Ridge

Brayan Pena, MLB catcher and Cuban defector, to join U.S. Army Reserve image

Cardinals catcher Brayan Pena, a former Cuban defector, announced Tuesday on Twitter that he's joining the U.S. Army Reserve this offseason.

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Pena, 34, left Cuba in 1999 to play baseball in the United States. He has become one of the game's most reliable and well-traveled backups with stints in Atlanta, Kansas City, Detroit, Cincinnati and currently in St. Louis.

He was previously a member of the Cuban national 18-and-under team.

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This past offseason, Pena accompanied Joe Torre and others as part of an initiative to promote good relations between Cuba and the U.S. through baseball. Pena chronicled his life's journey in January in a piece published on The Players' Tribune, where he shared the incredible story of his defection. 

 

 

Scott Ridge