Santiago de Cuba

Santiago de Cuba was formed during the reorganization of the National Series in the 1977–78 season, where teams were restructured along the newly-drawn provincial lines. It replaced the Mineros, Serranos, and Oriente teams, which previously represented the Oriente Province. In its inaugural season, the team finished in a lackluster twelfth place. Two years later, however, it won its first championship, under manager Manuel Miyar. That year, Braudilio Vinent led the league in wins (12) and innings pitched (124.0).

The team won three consecutive championships between 1998 and 2001, becoming the third team, after Industriales and Villa Clara, to do so in the National Series. In the 1999–2000 tournament, the team finished with a 62–28 record (a winning percentage of .689) and won all 11 of their playoff games. During this period, Santiago de Cuba was headlined by Orestes Kindelán (1B) and Antonio Pacheco (2B); the infield was rounded out by utility shortstop Manuel Benavides and third bagger Gabriel Pierre. The outfield was manned by Fausto Álvarez, Rey Isaac, and Ariel Cutiño; at catcher was Rolando Meriño, with the pitching staff anchored by Norge Luis Vera including Ormari Romero, Osmel Cintra, Luis Tissert, and Alexis and Rubén Rodríguez.