Dominican police searching for former Cubs minor leaguer in murder case

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Police in the Dominican Republic are searching for a former Chicago Cubs minor leaguer suspected of shooting a man dead in a money dispute.

Josefrailin Alcántara, an 18-year-old outfielder who signed with the Cubs for a $500,000 bonus in January 2022, is being sought over the killing of Darwin Díaz Valerio.

Alcántara was released by the Cubs on Wednesday.

A spokesman of the Caribbean country’s police, captain Fernando Pérez Valerio, said Thursday the suspicion is based on the testimony of Diego Aníbal Rodríguez Martínez, a cousin of the baseball player. Martínez said he was with Alcántara when he approached the victim.

Pérez Valerio said there was an altercation between Alcántara and Díaz Valerio, which caused a gun shot wounding Alcántara’s hand. The outfielder then fired two shots against the victim, Pérez Valerio said.

Alcántara spent 2022 with the Dominican Summer League Cubs and has not played this season.

Cubs spokesman Julian Green said in a statement to The Associated Press that Alcántara “was away from the team due to a suspension and has been subsequently released following notification by authorities in the Dominican Republic.”

Díaz Valerio was reported as missing by his family on Sunday. His body was found the next day in forest in the north of the country.