Cyclones welcome another Bronx native

What are the odds of playing little league baseball with your childhood friend and then 16 years later being drafted to play professional baseball in the same Mets’ minor league system? The answer is slim to none, but two boys from the Bronx beat those odds to come play for the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Although Yohairo Cuevas missed joining his friend Chris Suero in Brooklyn upon his recent promotion to Double-A Binghamton, Cuevas still got a chance to play alongside his long-time friend in St. Lucie for part of the 2024 season.

Growing up just blocks away from each other in University Heights, the two boys played on the same little league teams and travel teams beginning at age five. After the Cuevas family recognized that their son had talent, Cuevas’ uncle, former major leaguer Juan Samuel (Phillies and Mets), signed him up to go to the Fernando Tatis Baseball Academy in the Dominican Republic after his freshman year. After finishing high school remotely from Florida in 2021, Cuevas was drafted by the Mets as an international free agent.

Before his promotion to Brooklyn, the 21-year-old leftfielder at St. Lucie was hitting .278 over 63 games, scoring 41 runs with 12 doubles, two home runs and 11 RBIs along with four stolen bases.

When asked to profile himself, Cuevas said he is a good contact hitter with power to all fields. Defensively, he said he is known for his strong outfield arm while still making improvements on fly balls hit to the outfield.

“I’ve learned to be patient at the plate and I got a lot of walks while I was down in Florida,” he said. “I’m pretty much used to getting on base.”