PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Dayron Varona is pleased about the possibility of traveling with the Rays to play the Cuban National Team, but the native of Havana, Cuba, sounded equally excited about his opportunity with the Rays this spring.
Varona, 28, signed with the Rays on May 7 and spent the 2015 season split between Class A Advanced Charlotte and Double-A Montgomery, hitting .286 with 11 home runs, 60 RBIs and six stolen bases in 84 games.
That performance earned Varona a trip to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee. On Tuesday afternoon, Major League Baseball announced that the Rays would be making a trip to his homeland.