After taking over the Tomateros de Culiacan in the middle of the season and spurring them to a terrific second half and appearances in both the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico finals and the 2026 Caribbean Series, Lorenzo Bundy will return as the Tomateros manager for the 2026-27 season.
“The biggest thing was we knew there was a good bunch. It was a good team. I just think they needed a different voice,” Bundy told World Baseball Network at the Caribbean Series in Zapopan last February. “The manager that I replaced, Chapo Vizcarra, was a very good manager. You know, Chapo, he’s a winner. He’s won seven championships. It speaks for itself. I just think they needed to hear something. And it could be the same things that ‘Chapo’ was saying or whatever, but just a different voice.”
Under Bundy, the Tomateros won 11 of their next 12 games, then breezed through the playoffs until the final, where they were swept by Benji Gil and the Charros de Jalisco. The Tomateros then faced the Charros again in the Caribbean Series final, falling 12-11 in extra innings.
Vizcarra Has A New Job – Roberto Vizcarra, who was replaced by Bundy in Culiacan, will manage the Aguilas de Mexicali next winter after taking over the club on Christmas Day last year. He led the team to a first round playoff series sweep over the Yaquis de Obregon.
He previously won a championship with the Águilas de Mexicali in the 2016-17 season, and won a pair with the Charros de Jalisco in 2018-19 and 2021-22.
Roberson To Manage Mazatlan – Former Philadelphia Phillie Chris Roberson will manage the Venados de Mazatlan next year after serving as hitting coach in Culiacan last season.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity, because not just anyone can come to this chair, the first thing is the mentality, we don’t go to the field for a show, we go to win and that must be thought about every day,” Roberson said in an introductory event in Mazatlan.
Roberson played 18 winter seasons, 17 in the LAMP with Hermosillo, Mexicali, and Mazatlan and another in Niacaragua with the Gigantes de Rivas, and appeared in seven Caribbean Series for Mexico. He played in the 2017 World Baseball Classic for Mexico, and also played 12 seasons in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol with Monterrey, Monclova, and Leon.
Castro Out In Hermosillo – Juan Gabriel Castro won’t be back in Hermosillo. He took over the Naranjeros midway through the 2021-22 season and won the LAMP Manager of the Year award the next year. In 2023-24, he led Hermosillo to its 17th LAMP title, going 12-1 in the playoffs, but had a disappointing showing at the Caribbean Series in Miami, where the team went 2-4 in round robin play and missed the elimination games. The team finished 40-28 last year and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Charros de Jalisco, who won the title and the Caribbean Series.
Draft Orders Announced, No Resolution To Tucson Situation – The LAMP held league meetings during the last week in March, and announced the order of selection for both the Mexican Player Draft and Import Player Draft.
No resolution has yet to be announced regarding the Tucson Baseball Team, which played the entire 2025-26 season on the road after being unable to secure visas for players and staff to work in the United States.
In the Mexican Player Draft, the Tomateros de Culiacan will have the first pick, followed by the Yaquis de Obregon, Algodoneros de Guasave, Aguilas de Mexicali, Caneros de Los Mochis, Naranjeros de Hermosillo, Venados de Mazatlan, Charros de Jalisco, Jaguares de Nayarit, and the homeless franchise that was supposed to play in Tucson last season.
In the Import Player Draft, Mexicali will have the first selection, followed by Nayarit, Hermosillo, Obregon, Jalisco, Mazatlan, Culiacan, Guasave, Los Mochis, and the team that didn’t play in Tucson.
One Fewer Foreigner – Among the rule changes for the 2026-27 season, the LAMP has reduced the number of import players teams will be allowed to carry from eight to seven, essentially creating 10 more spots for Mexican players in the league.
Photo: Lorenzo Bundy took over the Tomateros de Culiacan and turned their season around. (Photo courtesy of LAMP)
