A Cuban baseball player by the name of Reinier Hernández Echevarría has been missing for over a week while trying to make his way to the United States from Mexico. Originally from Pinar del Río and at 35 years of age, Hernández Echevarría had been using the CBP One app to arrange an appointment at the border.
The last known contact with him was on Friday, October 4, when he was in Tijuana, a city at the northern border of Mexico. His wife, Yedenia Pereda, who arrived in Miami five months ago, reported to the independent outlet Cubalite that her messages to his WhatsApp have been undelivered. "The last time he was online was at 3:30 in the afternoon. Since then, we've heard nothing from him," she stated.
According to Yedenia, the young athlete had stopped playing baseball about 15 days prior and was working as a security guard, but he had recently quit. "His goal was to come here to the United States to be with our baby and me. He had set up the CBP One appointment and was logging in every day," she detailed.
Yedenia has already filed a missing person report at the nearest police station to where Hernández Echevarría was last staying, but authorities have not been able to provide any information. "He had never disappeared before, especially now that he had achieved his dream of becoming a father. He never mentioned being blackmailed. We have exhausted all avenues and do not know what else to do. I am extremely worried, my heart is in my throat," she expressed.
In 2016, Hernández Echevarría moved to Mexico, where he played in various amateur baseball leagues. He also had a brief stint in the United States with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League. In Cuba, he participated in several editions of the Provincial Series with the San Luis team, and last year he was part of the pre-selection for Pinar del Río for the National Series, but was cut prior to the final selection.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of this baseball player is urged to contact his mother's phone number in Cuba: 54138593.