The Baseball Federation of Puerto Rico (FBPR) announced the final XXIV Central American and Caribbean Games roster. Manager Juan Igor Gonzalez selected the 24 players among the Superior Double-A league franchises.
"We are ready and in excellent mental and physical condition. I can't wait to lead these talented kids to gain another gold medal," commented Gonzalez.
The player to watch on the roster is 2022 Double-A Rookie of the Year and MVP Ruben Castro. Infielders Jesmuel Valentín, Ozzie Martínez, Yadiel Rivera and Rey Navarro have Major League Baseball (MLB) experience. Gonzalez named outfielder Jeffrey Dominguez the team captain.
World No. 11 Puerto Rico will compete from 24 June to 1 July with No. 3 Mexico, No. 6 Venezuela, No. 7 Cuba, No. 10 Dominican Republic, No. 17 Nicaragua, No. 32 Curaçao, the host and No. 59 El Salvador in the baseball tournament of the Central American and Caribbean Games at the Parque Nacional de Pelota Saturnino Bengoa in San Salvador.
Puerto Rico will travel to Nicaragua for a warm-up International friendly series scheduled from 19 to 21 June.
Baseball was on the Central American & Caribbean Games programme since the inaugural edition in 1926 in Mexico City and has remained part of it throughout its history. Puerto Rico are the defending champions, but Cuba has dominated the event with 15 gold medals. Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic have three, and Venezuela and Colombia have one.
Men's and women's softball are also on the Central American and Caribbean Games programme. The WBSC OTT Platform GameTime will stream the event.
The top four finishers will qualify for the XIX Pan American Games baseball tournament, scheduled in October in Santiago, Chile.
The host nation Chile, No. 15 Colombia (winner of the Junior Pan American Games) and No. 24 Brazil who were also winners of the South American Games, are already qualified. The winner of a qualifying tournament scheduled in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 16 to 21 July, will be the eighth participant.
