Noelvis Entenza Reaches 1000 Strikeout Milestone

The Kitchener Panthers would like to congratulate Noelvis Entenza on joining a prestigious group of pitchers to have recorded 1000 strikeouts in the Cuban National Series. In 2020, Noelvis helped the Matanzas Crocodiles win a Cuban Championship and last year he was selected to the Cuban All-Star team as well as threw a No-Hitter.

Entenza was a force on the mound for the Panthers across 3 seasons (2016-2018), picking up 25 wins, 5 saves, 265 strikeouts and sporting a stingy ERA of 3.55 in 57 games pitched.

In the 2018 playoffs, Entenza led the Panthers to a Dominico Cup Finals appearance, going 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA and allowing only 2 runs and 10 hits in 28 innings pitched. He was the starting pitcher in both games the Panthers would win in that year’s finals, throwing 7 innings of hitless and scoreless baseball in the Panthers’ opening game 1-0 win and then throwing another 7 innings in game 4 allowing 2 runs on route to a Panthers 3-2 victory.

A fan favourite, fierce competitor and big game pitcher, Noelvis was a major factor in the Panthers’ several finals appearances throughout that era and we are proud to have played a role in his decorated career.

Looking Ahead

Panthers General Manager, Mike Boehmer, has recently returned home from a scouting trip to Cuba across the month of October and is narrowing down his list of potential Cuban players for the 2023 season.

The Panthers are excited to continue our strong relationship with Baseball Cuba and look forward to the return of talented Cuban import players in the 2023 lineup after Covid related Visa processing delays prevented their return in 2022. The Panthers were the only team in the IBL to compete in the 2022 season without the aid of import players and despite having one of the strongest local and young core of players in the league, had an uncharacteristically down season. With incoming import and Canadian roster additions, the Panthers plan on returning to form as a contender in 2023.