The opening night of the 2025-26 Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente season in Puerto Rico is Thursday, with a matchup at Estadio Isidoro García between the Senadores de San Juan and the 2024-25 champions, the Indios de Mayagüez.
The rest of the league’s four clubs will kick off their season on Friday. Each of the six teams will play 40 games during the regular season, and the playoffs will start Friday, January 2.
The championship winner will advance to the Caribbean Series, to be held at Estadio Monumental Simón Bolívar in Caracas, Venezuela, and Estadio Forum La Guaira in La Guaira, Venezuela, next February.
Where to Watch – Puerto Rico’s LBPRC streams its games live on its YouTube page and on the league’s official app, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Indios de Mayaguez
Stadium – Estadio Isidoro García
Manager – Wilfredo Cordero
Notable Players – Emmanuel Rivera, 3B; Jorge Lopez, RHP; Martin Maldonado, C
Last Year – 24-16 (first place), defeated Senadores de San Juan five games to one in the championship series
Outlook – The Indios look to hoist the trophy for the second consecutive season after leading the LBPRC in runs scored with 170 last year. Emmanuel Rivera is a Major League Baseball veteran of five years, but failed to produce in last year’s Caribbean Series for the Indios, collecting just two hits in 22 plate appearances. Catcher Martin Maldonado retired from Major League Baseball but will continue his career in Puerto Rico, at least one more season.
Cangrejeros de Santurce
Stadium – Estadio Hiram Bithorn
Manager – Omar López
Notable Players – Andrew Velazquez, SS; Robert Gsellman, RHP; Shed Long Jr., 2B
Last Year – 21-19 (second place), lost semifinal four games to one against Senadores de San Juan
Outlook – The Cangrejeros will have several players on their roster with MLB experience, including Detroit Tigers utility man Javier Báez, at some point during the season. Light-hitting shortstop Andrew Velazquez spent the summer in the New York Yankees’ minor league system at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and is a slick defender. The club will need more power to make a deep postseason run, hitting just 10 home runs all of last season.
Senadores de San Juan
Stadium – Estadio Hiram Bithorn
Manager – Robinson Cancel
Notable Players – Josh Mallitz, RHP; Jarrod Cande, RHP; Jose Sermo, 3B
Last Year – 21-19 (third place), lost championship series five games to one against Indios de Mayaguez
Outlook – Last year was the Senadores’ first season back in the LBPRC since ceasing play in 2011. Their notable players for this season include hurlers Josh Mallitz and Jarrod Cande, who are working their way to a Major League promotion—Mallitz with the San Diego Padres and Cande with the Colorado Rockies. Their rivalry with the Cangrejeros will remain strong as they share Estadio Hiram Bithorn in San Juan.
Criollos de Caguas
Stadium – Estadio Solá Morales
Manager – Ramón Vázquez
Notable Players – Aledmys Díaz, INF; José De León, RHP; Max Burt, SS
Last Year – 19-21 (fourth place), lost semifinal four games to two against Indios de Mayaguez
Outlook – The Criollos will have plenty of veteran presence on the roster, including Aledmys Díaz and Vimael Machín. Manager Ramón Vázquez is the bench coach of the Boston Red Sox during the summer months, and the Minnesota Twins reportedly asked to interview him for their managerial vacancy. Returning pitcher José De León posted a 0.93 ERA in eight games (two starts) in 9 ⅔ innings last season with the Criollos.
Leones de Ponce
Stadium – Estadio Francisco Montaner
Manager – Andy Gonzalez
Notable Players – Will Simoneit, C; Kazuto Taguchi, LHP; Matthew Batten, 3B
Last Year – 18-22 (fifth place), did not qualify for postseason
Outlook – The Leones have not won a league championship since the 2008-09 season and hope to end that streak this year. Japanese left-handed pitcher Kazuto Taguchi made 36 appearances out of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows’ bullpen in Nippon Professional Baseball in 2025. Catcher Will Simoneit hit a career high of 17 home runs with the York Revolution in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
Gigantes de Carolina
Stadium – Estadio Roberto Clemente
Manager – Edwards Guzman
Notable Players – Roberto Perez, C; Josh Hatcher,1B; Matt Givin, RHP
Last Year – 17-23 (sixth place), did not qualify for postseason
Outlook – The Gigantes will have a two-time Gold Glove Award winner behind the plate with Roberto Perez. They had great success stealing bases last season, swiping 53 bases in 40 games. How far the Gigantes advance this season will depend on their offense, which averaged just 3.40 runs per game during 2024-25.
Photo: Puerto Rico’s Indios de Mayaguez beat the Dominican Republic’s Leones del Escogido 10-7, getting five runs in the eighth to come from behind and secure a spot in the semifinals at the 2025 Caribbean Series. (Photo Courtesy of CBPC)
