On the surface, Guillermo Heredia’s journey to the majors was not unlike that of the thousands of Latin American-born players who have come to the United States to play professional baseball. He left his home, his family, his country, in pursuit of better opportunities - more money, yes, but also the chance to compete at the highest level.
Heredia happened to be born in Cuba, though, so his journey became more complex. To leave Cuba, particularly as a professional baseball player, is to leave your friends and family for years, to leave your home country, in all likelihood, forever.