Marlins' Adeiny Hechavarria recalls harrowing trip from Cuba

LOS ANGELES – In his fourth season in the majors, Adeiny Hechavarria has emerged as perhaps the top defensive shortstop in the National League, and a much improved hitter as well. He's one of the foundation pieces for the Miami Marlins, who would love to sign him to a long-term extension worth tens of millions of dollars.

And yet, when Hechavarria looks back at what he endured to leave Cuba six years ago, he's not certain he would do it again, so frightening was the ordeal.

Sharing his story in a Spanish-language interview with Paste BN Sports, Hechavarria said he feared for his life while escaping from Cuba through Mexico in 2009 alongside fellow players Leslie Anderson and Rubi Silva, as well as nine other defectors.

Without going into much detail, Hechavarria spoke about how the players made a deal with human traffickers to get them out of Cuba on a boat in exchange for a cut of their signing bonuses. He wouldn't specify what percentage he paid but said the plan wasn't hatched with much aforethought.

Hechavarria had no idea how long the group would be at sea after leaving from the coastal city of Santiago de Cuba, his hometown in the southeastern part of the island, and he became terrified when he could not see land for hours.

"I wanted to fulfill my dream, but I didn't know what I was going to encounter,'' Hechavarria said before Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"If I had known what I was going to have to go through, I might not have come. A lot of difficult things took place along the way. In the end nothing bad happened to us, but we were afraid because of some of the things that go on in Mexico, with people getting killed.''

With his superb glove work and athleticism, Hechavarria had made a name for himself in international junior tournaments and also played three seasons in Cuba's top league, beginning at age 17.

But he yearned for a better life after growing up in poverty and often going hungry while being raised mostly by his father, who did security work at a warehouse, after his parents split up.

When smugglers aware of his talent proposed to help him escape the communist regime so he could pursue his major league ambitions, Hechavarria blindly jumped at the chance.

"I was deceived,'' said Hechavarria, 26. "The people who brought me out – I won't mention their names – told me, 'When you get there, you'll get $15 million right away.' You're a poor kid and don't know any better, so you believe it. Plus, you want to realize your dream.''

Hechavarria said the smugglers treated him well, and while they skipped over details of the difficulties he would face, they were not far off in gauging his value. With the help of an intermediary, Hechavarria established residency in Mexico and within a year – in April 2010 – he signed a four-year, $10 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

When Hechavarria reached the majors with Toronto in 2012, he received some guidance from teammate Yunel Escobar, a fellow shortstop who had defected in 2004. They were traded together to the Marlins after that season and Escobar, now with the Washington Nationals, recently told the harrowing story of his escape to the Washington Post.

Such tales, which Cuban players are typically reluctant to share for fear of retribution against the relatives they left behind, have become increasingly common in recent years. Lured by wealthy contracts and emboldened by the success of peers like 2014 All-Stars Jose Abreu, Yasiel Puig, Aroldis Chapman and Yoenis Cespedes, Cuban players have been making their way into the majors in growing numbers. The 19 Cubans who dotted big-league rosters at the beginning of last season and the 18 this year are the two largest totals ever.

Hechavarria may soon ascend to the level of his more renowned compatriots, especially if his enhanced offense keeps up. He batted just .227 with a .565 OPS in his first season as a Marlin, boosted those numbers to .276 and .664 last year and is currently at .308 with a .759 OPS.

Besides getting stronger – he's no longer malnourished at 6-2, 215 pounds – Hechavarria changed the positioning of his hands at the suggestion of hitting coach Frank Menechino, and focused more on hitting up the middle, with favorable results.

"It's still ongoing because he still has room to improve,'' said Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill, aware that Hechavarria doesn't walk much. "But he's on the right path.''

And his glove is nearly golden. Last season, Hechavarria was a finalist for the league's top fielding award at his position, which the Atlanta Braves' Andrelton Simmons has garnered the last two years.

No less an authority than Dodgers shortstop Jimmy Rollins, a four-time Gold Glover who played against Hechavarria frequently the previous two seasons as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, would give him his vote.

"He's probably the best right now,'' Rollins said. "As far as the way he can go get the ball, his range. He has a good arm. He makes routine plays. He makes spectacular plays. … How many times has he, when I was in Philly, saved the game or won a game defensively? I've seen it with my own two eyes. I don't care what the UZR defensive metrics say. That dude can play, straight up.''

The advanced defensive metrics don't love Hechavarria, who committed the same number of errors last year as Simmons, 14. He ranked 11th among NL starting shortstops in Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved last season and has moved up to fourth this year, when he has two errors.

Both Rollins and Hill insist Hechavarria's defensive wizardry needs to be seen to be appreciated. On Wednesday, his sprawling grab of a hot smash up the middle by the Dodgers' Yasmani Grandal turned an apparent hit into the first part of a jaw-dropping double play.

"He's one of the best in the league, metrics or not,'' Hill said. "If you watch him play, there's no way you can't say this is an unbelievably gifted and talented shortstop.''

And one the Marlins are thankful he made that perilous journey out of Cuba.

GALLERY: CUBAN STARS