Cabral was originally signed for the Boston Red Sox by scout Luis Scheker, as an international amateur free agent and played in their minor league system through 2010.

His professional career began in 2006, when he went 1–4 with a 4.54 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 11 games (10 starts) with the Dominican Summer League Red Sox.

He pitched for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox in 2008, going 2–5 with a 5.59 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 11 games (9 starts), striking out 51 batters in 48+1⁄3 innings.

He split 2010 between the Single-A Greenville Drive and High-A Salem Red Sox, posting a 4–0 record and 3.63 ERA with 9 saves in 45 relief appearances.

On December 8, 2011, the Kansas City Royals selected Cabral in the Rule 5 draft, and subsequently sold him to the New York Yankees.

[10] He made his major league debut the next day against the Chicago White Sox, throwing a scoreless 8th inning while allowing a hit and striking out two.

[15] Through his first 16 appearances with the Double-A Bowie Baysox and Triple-A Norfolk Tides (18 innings pitched), he didn't allow an earned run.

[19] On April 1, 2019, Cabral was drafted by the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball at the 2019 ALPB Player Showcase.