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Two players earned spots into the Central American Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame in 1999. Pitcher Hugo Peguero led the way with a first ballot induction at 90.3%. Joining him was outfielder Franco Hernandez, getting across the 66% requirement on his second try at 70.8%. Two others were above 50%, but still short. Catcher Hansel Morel had 55.5% in his ninth attempt and 3B Pedro Pizarro received 54.5% on his fourth ballot. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots in 1999.



Hugo Peguero – Starting Pitcher – Santo Domingo Dolphins – 90.3% First Ballot

Hugo Peguero was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from the Dominican Republic. His hometown Cotui has just under 80,000 inhabitants in the center of the nation. Peguero had incredible stuff with respectable movement. His fastball hit 99-101 mph along with a stellar slider, great screwball, and rarely seen changeup. His control was subpar though with his wildness sometimes getting him into trouble. Relative to other CABA aces, Peguero’s stamina was weak as well. His leadership and work ethic were both tremendous, making him well known and respected throughout the DR.

Scouts in the capital were aware of Peguero’s potential from a very young age. Even as a 16-year old, Peguero was regularly hitting the upper 90s with his fastball. Santo Domingo thought he could be the next great star, signing him in 1974 as a teenage amateur. He spent parts of six years in the developmental system before debuting in 1980 at age 21. He struggled in his 73 innings as a rookie, but made the adjustments needed to shine the next year. Peguero took third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1981, his first full season in the rotation.

He was also thrown into big games at a young age, as 1981 marked the start of Santo Domingo’s dynasty run in the Caribbean League. They won the pennant that year, but lost the CABA Championship to Juarez. Peguero was 4-1 in the playoffs with a 3.23 ERA in 39 innings. 1982 was his first of six seasons striking out 300+ batters. Peguero was third again in POTY voting and had a 2.61 ERA over 20.2 playoff innings. This time, the Dolphins won both the CL title and the CABA championship.

1983 was Peguero’s saw his first issue with injuries as a strained biceps cost him a month. The Dolphins had the best record in the Caribbean, but were upset by Puerto Rico in the CLCS. In 1984, Peguero fractured the coracoid bone in his shoulder, knocking him out the entire second half and the playoffs. Santo Domingo won the CABA championship, but Peguero had to watch in a sling.

Peguero bounced back in 1985 with his finest season, leading in wins at 24-5, and posting both league and career bests in strikeouts (376) and WAR (8.9). He earned Pitcher of the Year and had an excellent 1.87 ERA over 33.2 playoff innings with 40 strikeouts, helping Santo Domingo win its third CABA title in four years. The Dolphins began discussion an extension as Peguero entered his final year of team control, locking him in with a six-year, $6,240,000 extension in May 1986.

Peguero led the league in strikeouts the next two years, taking third in POTY voting in 1986. The Dolphins fell in the CLCS in 1986; which was Peguero’s last playoff chances. For an excellent playoff career, he had an 11-3 record, 2.36 ERA, 122 innings, 154 strikeouts, a 154 ERA+, and 3.5 WAR. After missing the postseason in 1987 and 1988, Santo Domingo made it back in 1989. However, in late September, Peguero suffered a partially torn UCL.

He again bounced back impressively, although an elbow strain would cost him the final month and the playoffs of 1990. Still, he led the league in ERA and WHIP that year with a 17-2 record, which nabbed Peguero his second Pitcher of the Year award. The Dolphins again made the playoffs in 1991, but fell short for the third straight year. Yet again, injuries kept Peguero from the postseason. This time, it would be a torn rotator cuff that he ultimately never bounced back from.

Peguero played in the 1992 World Baseball Championship for the Dominican Republic. Unfortunately, his control and stamina were both shot from the injury. Although cleared to play, Santo Domingo didn’t use him at all in 1992. His contract expired that winter and Peguero signed for 1993 with Salvador. He only tossed 27.1 innings mostly in relief with the Stallions with unremarkable results. Thus, Peguero retired at only age 35 after the season. Still popular in the capital, Santo Domingo retired his #7 uniform that winter.

For his career, Peguero had a 181-90 record, 2.90 ERA, 2508 innings, 3341 strikeouts, 658 walks, 207/331 quality starts, 77 complete games, a 126 ERA+, 73 FIP-, and 67.6 WAR. Injuries kept him from more impressive accumulations, but his numbers weren’t out of line compared to some other guys who had made the cut in CABA. Peguero’s playoff success put him over the top; at induction he had the seventh most WAR of any playoff pitcher. He was the ace of a dynasty run in Santo Domingo, making him an easy choice on the first ballot at 90.3%.



Franco Hernandez – Right Field – Leon Lions – 70.8% Second Ballot

Franco Hernandez was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from the capital of Cuba, Havana. Hernandez was a very good contact hitter with an excellent eye and good knack at avoiding strikeouts. One of the absolute best at getting on base, he was the Mexican League’s leader in on-base percentage five times and walks four times in his career. Hernandez wasn’t a prolific slugger, but he averaged per 162 around 20-25 doubles, 20-25 home runs, and around 10 triples per season. He had solid speed and was one of the most efficient base stealers of his time. The majority of his career was in right field, where he graded out as a fairly lousy defender.

A Mexican scout noticed Hernandez during a showcase in Havana and kept an eye on him. This ultimately culminated in an amateur free agent signing with Leon in 1978 for the then 16-year old Hernandez. His entire CABA career would be as a Lion, debuting with a few pinch hit appearances in 1982 at age 20. Hernandez was a platoon guy in 1983, but still took third in Rookie of the Year voting. He then took over the starting job full-time from 1984 onward.

Hernandez won Silver Sluggers in 1984, 86, 87, and 88. 1984 saw him join the small group of guys with a six-hit game. In 1986, he had a career best 34 home runs and also posted career/league bests in slugging, OPS, wRC+, and WAR. That earned him Mexican League MVP and helped Leon end a six-year playoff drought. The Lions won the ML pennant, but lost the CABA Championship to Costa Rica.

1987 saw a second MVP season, again leading in OPS, wRC+, and WAR. Leon regressed to below .500 despite his efforts that year, but they wanted to lock Hernandez up. After the season, he signed an eight-year, $12,180,000 extension. Hernandez was never quite as dominant, but he was still an excellent starter for the rest of his Leon tenure. He took third in 1991 MVP voting with a career best .435 on base percentage.

Leon made it back to the playoffs in 1991 and 1992 with division titles, but they were unable to make a notable run. Hernandez still had a few years left on his deal, but he also had an opt out clause. To the surprise and disappointment of Lions fans, he used it and entered free agency at age 31. The franchise would later retire his #28 uniform and he stayed popular, but some would hold a grudge against him.

Hernandez knew this was his chance to go to Major League Baseball and score a big payday. Orlando inked him to a six-year, $13,680,000 deal. His first year as an Ocra was solid, but MLB pitchers figured him out. Hernandez was middling the next two years, then firmly bad the two years after that. He missed some time to injury and eventually got benched. Orlando cut him in August 1997, effectively ending his career as he retired that winter at age 35. With Orlando, Hernandez had 521 hits, 324 runs, a .241/.323/.385 slash, 102 wRC+, and 4.8 WAR.

However in CABA with Leon, Hernandez had 1747 hits, 889 runs, 238 doubles, 246 home runs, 796 RBI, a .332/.405/.551 slash, 191 wRC+, and 72.9 WAR. His accumulations were very much on the lower end since he only played a decade in Mexico. However, he was CABA’s all-time leader in OBP, even besting the legendary Kiko Velazquez. Hernandez is still eighth as of 2037, only passed in finally with higher offense from the 2010s onward in CABA. His rate stats were excellent, which supporters pointed to when detractors noted the weak tallies. Hernandez barely missed the cut in his debut at 65.8%. The second ballot got him in at 70.8% as the second member of CABA’s 1999 class.