Alfredo Despaigne


Alfredo Despaigne Rodriguez is a Cuban professional baseball outfielder. He played for the Chiba Lotte Marines and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball.
In Cuba, he is known as "El Inmenso Despaigne" and "El Caballo de los Caballos".

Career

In 2009, Despaigne had one of the most dominating seasons in Cuban baseball history, breaking the Cuban Home Run record while hitting.373 with 97 RBIs. Following the season, he was named MVP of the National Series. Despaigne was again excellent in 2010, ranking among the best hitters in various statistical categories. In 2012, he set a new Cuban league regular-season home run record, with 35.
On July 15, 2014, he signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Nippon Professional Baseball. Despaigne appeared in 45 games, hitting.311, with 12 home runs and 33 runs batted in. After the season, on December 8, the Marines signed him to a two-year contract.
On December 20, 2016, it was announced that team did not make a contract and next day he became free agent in NPB.
In 2017, Despaigne played a key role in Granma's win of the Cuban National Series.
On February 11, 2017, he signed with Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of the NPB.
In 2018, he was selected.
On December 2, 2019, he become free agent.

International career

Despaigne posted an impressive season in 2007, afterwards earning a key role on Cuba's National Team. He was selected the, 2007 World Port Tournament, 2007 Baseball World Cup, 2008 Summer Olympics, 2009 World Baseball Classic, 2010 World University Baseball Championship, 2010 Intercontinental Cup, 2011 Pan American Games, 2012 exhibition games against Chinese Taipei and CPBL All-Stars, 2012 exhibition games against Japan, 2013 World Baseball Classic, 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games, 2015 Pan American Games, 2015 WBSC Premier12 and 2017 World Baseball Classic.
He was named the Best Hitter at the 2007 World Port Tournament, and was also a part of the Cuban team which won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Despaigne won with his national team the gold medal of the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico.