On Wednesday, the Federación de Béisbol Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation, announced that former Major League Baseball outfielder and two-time MVP Juan González will manage Puerto Rico at next month’s 2025 Copa América de Béisbol.
González, 55, was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, and played 17 MLB seasons, mainly with the Texas Rangers. He had two stints with the then-Cleveland Indians and spent one season each with the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals. The righty swinger finished his career with three All-Star selections, six Silver Slugger Awards, and 434 home runs.
The Copa América will not be the former slugger’s first time managing Puerto Rico in an international tournament, as he was at the helm for several other events, including the WBSC Premier12 2019 and the Tokyo Olympic qualifiers in 2021. Additionally, his teams won gold medals at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, and the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games in Barranquilla, Colombia.
González was on Puerto Rico’s coaching staff for the 2017 World Baseball Classic as a bullpen coach, and served as the club’s assistant hitting coach at the 2023 edition of the WBC.
Puerto Rico has yet to announce their roster for the tournament.
The Copa América will be held from Nov. 12-22 in La Chorrera, Panama, and La Guaira and Caracas, Venezuela. Puerto Rico will compete in Group B against Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Canada, and Panama. Group A includes Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Curacao.
The top three teams from each group will advance to the super round in La Chorrera, Panama. The two teams with the best record in the super round will advance to the gold medal game.
The full tournament schedule for the 2025 Copa América de Béisbol was released Oct. 2.
Puerto Rico’s 2025 Copa América de Béisbol Schedule
Group B – Estadio Mariano Rivera – La Chorrera, Panama
All times Eastern Standard Time
November 13
3 p.m. – Puerto Rico vs. Argentina
November 14
11 a.m. – Brazil vs. Puerto Rico
November 15
3 p.m. – Colombia vs. Puerto Rico
November 16
11 a.m. – Canada vs. Puerto Rico
November 17
7 p.m. – Puerto Rico vs. Panama
Super Round – Estadio Mariano Rivera – La Chorrera, Panama
November 19–21 – The top three teams from each group compete in six-team super round with results carrying over from group play.
Medal Games – Estadio Mariano Rivera – La Chorrera, Panama
November 22
TBD – Bronze Medal Game
TBD – Gold Medal Game
Photo: Juan Gonzalez will manage Puerto Rico at the 2025 Copa America de Beisbol. (Photo courtesy of WBSC)
