SANTO DOMINGO.- While the Leones del Escogido are finalizing details to represent the country in the Caribbean Series in Guadalajara, Mexico, the Dominican Republic begins to experience a week marked by international baseball, with clear signs that the focus is no longer just local, but regional and global.
The eve of the Scarlet team's journey was laden with symbolism. From the Ambassadors' Hall of the National Palace, where the champions received the national emblem, to the streets of the San Carlos neighborhood, the club's historic birthplace, Escogido celebrated a title that returns them to the forefront of Caribbean baseball. President Luis Abinader presided over the official ceremony and highlighted the team's role as the national representative in the regional tournament.
On the field, the team will travel to Guadalajara with reinforcements such as Cristhian Adames, Julio Rodríguez, Enny Romero, Oscar de la Cruz, Joe Corbettball, and Esmailin Montilla, aiming to compete from February 1st to 7th and debut against the Charros de Jalisco. The challenge is significant: to attempt something no Dominican team has achieved since the tournament adopted the elimination format—winning consecutive titles.
Country preparation for world events
Dominican baseball also has its sights set on the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The Dominican Baseball Federation confirmed this week that players such as Brayan Bello, Seranthony Domínguez, Yainer Díaz, and Carlos Santana will be on the roster that will compete in March
Bello joins a rotation that already includes Cristopher Sánchez and Sandy Alcántara, while Domínguez strengthens a bullpen designed for short, demanding tournaments. Santana's return brings experience to a team looking to reclaim the prominence it lost after its undefeated 2013 championship.
The list of confirmed players, which also includes Fernando Tatis Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr. , and Oneil Cruz, reinforces the feeling that the Dominican Republic is beginning to build, with time and planning, a team with depth and experience.
Between the Escogido team's parade through the capital's streets and the announcements regarding the national team, Dominican baseball is experiencing a week that goes beyond mere celebration. It marks the beginning of a period where the country will once again compete on the road, first in the Caribbean and then on the world stage.
Key aspects of the 2026 World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic, the most important event in international baseball, will begin on March 5 at the Tokyo Dome with the opening game between Chinese Taipei and Australia. The tournament will feature 20 national teams, divided into four groups, playing in Tokyo, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Houston, and Miami, marking a global schedule that will extend until the final on March 17.
The format dictates that each group will play a round-robin tournament, with the top two teams from each venue advancing to the quarterfinals. The qualifiers from Tokyo will travel to Miami, while those from San Juan will play in Houston. The winners will then meet in Miami for the semifinals and championship round, solidifying the United States as the tournament's central hub.
As for the qualification, the top four teams from each group in 2023 secured their automatic berth in the 2026 tournament. The remaining spots were decided in qualifiers held last March, where Chinese Taipei and Nicaragua advanced from Taipei, while Colombia and Brazil did so from Tucson. The matches can be seen in the United States on FOX and its partner platforms, and in Japan on Netflix.
Everything you need to know about the 2026 Caribbean Series in Jalisco
The Caribbean Series will celebrate its 68th edition from February 1-7 in Zapopan, Jalisco, marking the tournament's return to Guadalajara for the first time since 2018. This will be the second consecutive edition in Mexico, after the original host country, Venezuela, was dropped due to the country's political situation. In the United States, the tournament will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, while in Mexico it can be seen on ESPN and Disney+.
The Leones del Escogido arrive as defending champions after winning the 2025 Caribbean Series in Mexicali, where they defeated the Mexican team in the final. In Jalisco, the Dominican Republic will compete alongside Mexico—represented by the Charros de Jalisco and Tomateros de Culiacán—Puerto Rico with the Cangrejeros de Santurce, and the invited Panamanian team, the Federales de Chiriquí.
Founded in 1949, the Caribbean Series is the oldest regional tournament in professional baseball. The Dominican Republic leads the all-time standings with 23 titles, more than any other country, followed by Puerto Rico with 16 and Mexico with nine. Escogido will be looking to achieve a rare feat in Jalisco: winning consecutive titles, something no Dominican team has accomplished since the tournament adopted its elimination format.
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