Two of the Philippines’ brightest baseball talents are set to make history as they join India’s first professional baseball team, the Mumbai Cobras, for the inaugural season of Baseball United (BU) in Dubai.
Lord Aragorn “Agon” De Vera, the starting shortstop of the national team and a standout from De La Salle University, and Efril Ian Mercado, an award-winning outfielder from the University of the Philippines, have officially signed on to compete in BU Season One. Both players have already proven themselves internationally—De Vera with consistent performances in the Asian Games and Asian Baseball Championship, and Mercado as the UAAP’s Season 87 “Best Hitter.”
The milestone marks one of the rare occasions when Filipino-born players step onto a professional diamond outside the country. With close to a million Filipinos living in the UAE, the Cobras’ games are expected to draw strong community support, adding to the electric atmosphere of BU’s month-long season.
Baseball United, which launches its first season from November 14 to December 14 in Dubai, brings together four franchises: Mumbai Cobras (India), Karachi Monarchs (Pakistan), Arabia Wolves (UAE), and Mid East Falcons (UAE). The league has already drawn international attention with its mix of former MLB veterans and rising regional stars.
