Yoenis Cespedes, Cuban-born Super Star and left fielder of the New York Met, (currently a free agent) is expected to testify with his attorneys and interpreters next January, regarding the case under investigation by Federal Prosecutors on how some of these players who defected from communist Cuba had to endured, kidnapping and extortion at the hands of some of the world’s most dangerous drug cartels, like Los Zetas,of Mexico, many times at gun point.

CNN reported today (out of Miami) that a smuggling ring held Cuban baseball stars at gunpoint in Mexico, threatening to kill them if they tried to escape before signing lucrative contracts with Major League Baseball, according to U.S. prosecutors. This investigation, which dates from 2006 has revealed -and will go to an upcoming trial- that Bartolo Hernandez, accused of partnering with a smuggling ring to bring deals in exclusivity with 17 Cuban-born baseball players. Names mentioned are Jose Abreu, first baseman for the Chicago White Sox, Adeiny Hechavarria, shortstop for the Miami Marlins. on Tuesday’s filing, Miami federal prosecutor H. Ron Davidson points out one episode that indicates how perilous this journey through Mexico could be for everyone involved.

Prosecutors say alleged ringleaders Hernandez and Julio Estrada, both Cuban exiles, traveled to Cancun, Mexico, in 2009 to meet with yet another Cuban exile who’d become the head of a smuggling ring there: Joan “Nacho” Garcia. At trial this January, Hernandez is expected to present evidence that baseball players were treated well — showered with parties, women and other comforts. Three other members of this smuggling ring have been convicted and offer please plea deals and should also be testifying in January 2017.

Like I mentioned in my previous blog on this topic, this promises to get more and more interesting as more details emerge. Usually these smugglers also have contacts in Cuba, (which coordinates with the ones in US territory) but this investigation is conducted here in the United States and it involves only people currently living in the United States. However, nobody should really be surprised, since for decades the only way for Cuban-born talent to escape the island of Cuba has been by these means.  It also has to be said, that Not every player that defected from Cuba was involved in this case. Many did it by themselves, with little or no help, and reached the US, Mexico or any other free country where they asked for political exile.

Major League Baseball, as of today, has been quiet.