Puerto Rico has announced who will manage their club for the WBSC’s Premier12 Tournament. Former two-time American League MVP Juan “Igor” Gonzalez will manage the Premier12 team and the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2024.
Gonzalez, 54, was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, where he would sign with the Texas Rangers as a free agent in 1986. He was called up by the Rangers in 1989 and spent his first full season in the MLB in 1991 when Gonzalez mashed 27 home runs. In his 17-year major league career, Gonzalez played 13 seasons with the Rangers, two years with the Guardians, and one year with both the Tigers and Royals. Gonzalez won the American League MVP in 1996 and 1998 and participated in three All-Star Games.
He’s no stranger to coaching with Puerto Rico, where he served on the coaching staff at the 2017 and 2023 World Baseball Classic. He does have managerial experience, managing Puerto Rico to win the Central American and Caribbean Games 2018 and the Pan American Games 2019. He was also the manager of the Premier12 team in 2019.
The WBSC Premier12 is scheduled from November 9 to 24. Puerto Rico will face off in Group B in Guadalajara and Tepic in Mexico, where it will face Mexico, the USA, Venezuela, the Netherlands, and Panama. The Tokyo Dome will host the Premier12 Super Round and Medal Games.
Photo Credit: Juan Igor Gonzalez de Gigantes de Carolina de Puerto Rico se entrena el 01 de febrero de 2007 en el estadio de beisbol Roberto Clemente de Carolina, al este de San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Photo credit should read JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images)
