MLB players to participate in Cuba goodwill tour Dec. 15-18

The Players Association and MLB jointly announced Thursday that a group of players will be participating in a goodwill tour of Cuba from Dec. 15-18.

Hall of Famers Dave Winfield, representing the Players Association, and Joe Torre, representing MLB, will lead what will be the first Major League visit to Cuba since March 1999, when the Orioles played an exhibition game against the Cuban national team in Havana.

"The players will be thrilled to visit a country that shares our passion and enthusiasm for the sport of baseball, and we all hope that this visit marks the beginning of a relationship that will only grow stronger -- on and off the baseball field," executive director Tony Clark said in a joint press release with MLB.

The goodwill visit will consist of a press conference followed by children's baseball clinics at Estadio Latinoamericano in Havana and Estadio Victoria de Giron in Matanzas, as well as charity event with Caritas Cubana.

The participating players will be announced soon.