The Dominican Republic’s roster for the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo has been finalized. The roster features 11 former major leaguers, while nearly every player has recent experience in LIDOM, the Dominican Republic’s professional winter league.
Players to watch
Gilberto Celestino
Celestino is the lone player on the roster who spent this season in the minor leagues. Before being released last week, he hit .275/.363/.393 with three home runs and 24 RBIs. He is expected to serve as the Dominican Republic’s leadoff hitter and starting center fielder, where he should put on a show defensively.
Miguel Castro
The 31-year-old right-hander appeared in 425 major league games with seven organizations, posting a 4.24 ERA with 414 strikeouts over 466 2/3 innings. He joined the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol’s Leones de Yucatán this season and has enjoyed a solid year despite the league’s hitter-friendly environment. Castro owns a 3.79 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings and is expected to be the Dominican Republic’s top late-inning reliever and a candidate to close games.
The Dominican Republic will compete in Group A alongside Puerto Rico, Curaçao and Cuba. It opens tournament play July 31 against Puerto Rico.
The top three teams from each group will advance to the super round, which begins Aug. 5. The Dominican Republic’s group will face the top three teams from Group B, which consists of Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua and Mexico. The top two teams in the super round will advance to the gold medal game on Aug. 7, while the third- and fourth-place finishers will play for the bronze medal.
The tournament champion will qualify for the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. The Dominican Republic is seeking its first gold medal at the event since 2010 and just its second since 1982. It is the first time they have hosted the tournament since 1986.
Roster
Pitchers
- César Valdez
- Oscar De La Cruz
- Esmil Rogers
- Jhan Maríñez
- Enny Romero
- Cristopher Molina
- Carlos Belén
- Fernando Abad
- Jean Henríquez
- Miguel Castro
- Luis Peña
Catchers
- Pedro Severino
- Julio C. Rodríguez
Infielders
- Jimmy Paredes
- Yairo Muñoz
- Michael De León
- Deivi Muñoz
- Omar Meregildo
Outfielders
- Gilberto Celestino
- Raimel Tapia
- Diego Hernández
- Ricardo Céspedes Jr.
- Juan Guerrero
Photo: Miguel Castro walking off the field against the Chicago Cubs on May 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
