HAVANA -- One of Cuba's star pitchers has defected during the America Series tournament in Mexico, Cuban sports officials confirmed Friday.

Jose Ariel Contreras and coach Miguel Valdes were last seen in Saltillo, Mexico, during Cuba's 6-0 victory over the Dominican Republic on Tuesday night.

Cuba's National Institute of Sports and the Cuban Federation of Baseball said in a statement that Valdes "deserted, shamelessly betraying the trust deposited in him by our people.''

The statement said Valdes was joined by Contreras, "who until the moment of his desertion from the ranks of Cuban sports had maintained a correct attitude and discipline.''

The whereabouts of the men were not immediately known.

Several players defected from Cuba in the 1990s and some went on to star in the major leagues.

Orlando Hernandez pitched in Game 2 of the AL playoffs Wednesday for the New York Yankees against Anaheim. His half-brother, Livan Hernandez, is scheduled to pitch Game 4 Sunday for the San Francisco Giants against Atlanta in the NL playoffs.

Contreras, who turns 31 in December, caught the attention of major league scouts with his performance against the Baltimore Orioles in an exhibition game at Havana in 1999.

Pitching in relief, the 6-foot-4 right-hander allowed two hits in eight shutout innings against the Orioles' best players. He struck out 10, including Albert Belle twice.

Contreras frequently has been allowed to travel outside Cuba with teams. He was on the All-Star roster for the return trip to Baltimore in 1999 and has pitched in Taiwan.

This year, Contreras was 13-4 and led the Cuban league with a 1.76 ERA. He has excelled in international tournaments, winning his last seven decisions against top worldwide competition.