The most recent champion of the Serie Nacional, the Leñadores de Las Tunas, will represent Cuba in the upcoming Serie de Las Américas tournament in Nicaragua from January 24-30.
Argentina, Colombia, Curacao, Nicaragua, Panama, and Cuba are among the six nations competing in the event. Games will be played at the Estadio Nacional Soberania in Managua, Estadio Roberto Clemente in Mayasa, and Estadio Rigoberto Lopez Perez in Leon.
On Wednesday, the Leñadores de Las Tunas revealed the names of 11 players who will reinforce the team in the tournament. Those included are catcher Nelson Batista, infielders Yordan Manduley and Guillermo Aviles, outfielder Yoelkis Guibert, and seven pitchers.
Cuba’s pitcher reinforcements are Andy Vargas, Raymond Figueredo, Geonel Gutierrez, Dariel Gongora, Yoennis Yera, Danny Betancourt, and Frank Herrera.
Cuba will carry three catchers, eight infielders, four outfielders, and 12 pitchers in the Serie de Las Américas tournament. The Leñadores de Las Tunas defeated the Vegueros de Pinar del Río four games to one in the 2024 Serie Nacional championship series.
Outfielder Yoelkis Guibert, 30, represented Cuba in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and played 65 games this summer in the Serie Nacional for the Avispas de Santiago de Cuba. Guibert joined the Algodoneros de Guasave this winter in the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico.
On the pitching side, right-hander Danny Betancourt is a seasoned veteran in the Serie Nacional. He played his rookie season during the 2000-01 season with the Avispas de Santiago de Cuba. In 2004, the now 43-year-old pitched for Cuba in the Olympics in Athens, Greece, and he was on Cuba’s pitching staff in the 2009 WBC.
2025 Serie de Las Américas
All times Eastern Standard Time
January 24
2 p.m. – Panama vs. Argentina – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
6 p.m. – Colombia vs. Curacao – Estadio Rigoberto Lopez Perez, Leon
8 p.m. – Cuba vs. Nicaragua – Estadio Nacional Soberanía, Managua
January 25
2 p.m. – Argentina vs. Colombia – Estadio Nacional Soberanía, Managua
6 p.m. – Panama vs. Cuba – Estadio Roberto Clemente, Mayasa
8 p.m. – Nicaragua vs. Curacao – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
January 26
2 p.m. – Colombia vs. Panama – Estadio Nacional Soberanía, Managua
6 p.m. – Panama vs. Cuba – Estadio Rigoberto Lopez Perez, Leon
8 p.m. – Cuba vs. Curacao – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
January 27
2 p.m. – Argentina vs. Curacao – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
6 p.m. – Panama vs. Nicaragua – Estadio Roberto Clemente, Mayasa
8 p.m. – Colombia vs. Cuba – Estadio Nacional Soberanía, Managua
January 28
2 p.m. – Cuba vs. Argentina – Estadio Nacional Soberanía, Managua
6 p.m. – Nicaragua vs. Colombia – Estadio Roberto Clemente, Mayasa
8 p.m. – Curacao vs. Panama – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
January 29
6 p.m. – Semifinal Game A: Second Place vs. Third Place – Estadio Roberto Clemente, Mayasa
6 p.m. – Semifinal Game B: First Place vs. Fourth Place – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
January 30
6 p.m. – Championship Game – Estadio Nacional Soberania, Managua
