Frederich Cepeda Jr.: "We are Cubans, baseball is in our blood"

Frederich Cepeda Jr. was disappointed after Cuba lost against Japan on the third day of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025 presented by RAXUS, which is taking place in Okinawa, Japan from 5-14 September.

Coming off the back of two wins against South Africa and Italy respectively, the 11-time champions went down 3-0 to the world No. 1 in Cellular Stadium on Sunday.

"We didn't have the result we were hoping for," Cepeda Jr said. "Still, you have to consider that we faced an outstanding team. Japan is the defending champion. All we can do now is prepare well for the next games."

On Monday, Cuba suffered a loss in a pitching duel with Puerto Rico, which makes the final Opening Round game against Korea on Tuesday a must-win.

"Our goal has always been making it to the Super Round," Cepeda said.

Still, Cuba has 11 wins in the tournament, the most in the 31 editions played so far with USA the next best with 10.

"We have a good team," Cepeda added. "If we make it to the Super Round, we have to play one game at a time and keep progressing. We will see where this takes us."

Let's talk about your father. I bet you grew up breathing baseball.

"Everybody in baseball knows what my father did. I'm trying to follow his example. I'm back on his tracks in a U-18 World Cup. Now that I'm here, I'm trying to honour his name and find my way to the top. Baseball is in our blood, as we say in Cuba."

Frederich Cepeda, born in 1980, left some big shoes to fill for Frederich Junior. He helped Cuba win the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, as well as two Baseball World Cups, two Intercontinental Cups, and two Pan American Games.

Frederich Sr. played for the famed Tokyo Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in 2014 and 2015. Frederich Jr. was born in 2008 and was between six and seven years old at the time.

"I lived there for two years and I remember Japan as a wonderful country," Cepeda Jr. told the local press. "Japanese politeness and consideration for each other are wonderful. I want to incorporate the good aspects of Japanese baseball into my own game."

Cepeda Sr. is a legend in Cuban baseball. He has a .335 batting average with 307 home runs. He is 45 and he plans to compete in the next Serie Nacional (National League).

"All I've ever dreamed of is playing in the Serie Nacional on the same Gallos team with my dad. I want to follow his steps. Once I establish myself there, we will see what the future holds for me.