Benji Gil to manage Mexican Olympic Baseball Team at Tokyo Games

Benjamin Gil has been appointed as the new manager of the Mexican National Baseball Team that will compete in the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the Mexican Baseball Federation (FEMEBE) announced.

Gil was born in Tijuana in 1972 and is currently serving as the manager of the LMB expansion team Mariachis de Guadalajara. He replaces Juan Castro, who led world No. 5 Mexico to a bronze medal at the WBSC Premier12 2019 (the highest finish of any team from the Americas), which qualified Mexico for their first-ever Olympic baseball event.

"We are confident that Benji Gil will provide our National Team with the grit and the heart needed to face world class opponents in Tokyo," FEMEBE, LMB and the National Commission of Physical Culture (CONADE) stated in a joint press release.

Gil played eight Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons. He made it to the big leagues as a shortstop for the Texas Rangers and later developed into a utility player. He was a valuable bench player for the Los Angeles Angels who won the 2002 World Series under manager Mike Scioscia. He also played in the Mexican Baseball League (LMB) and the Mexican Pacific League (LMP), while helping Mexico win a bronze medal at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro.

After his retirement as a player, Gil won four LMB titles as the manager of the Tomateros de Culiacan.

Gil will have his first chance to manage the Mexican National Team in two warm-up games, against the Dominican Republic on 19 June and Venezuela on 20 June, hosted by the Diablos Rojos of LMB at the Alfredo Harp Helù Stadium in Mexico City.

World No. 8 Venezuela and No. 10 Dominican Republic will compete with No. 9 Netherlands for the last spot in the Olympic Tournament from 22 to 26 June in Puebla, Mexico.