(Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
Julian Guilarte
December 8, 2023
The LIDOM All-Star Game against the Liga Beisbol Professional Roberto Clemente League was played on December 3 at Cibao Stadium in Santiago, Dominican Republic. This put the best talent from the Dominican Republic against Puerto Rico. 12,378 fans attended the game.
The Dominican Republic won 5-4 on a walk-off single by outfielder Juan Carlos Perez. The winning pitcher of the game was Reymin Gudan and the losing pitcher was Jackson Goddard. The Dominican team was managed by former MLB outfielder Carlos Gomez and Puerto Rico was managed by former St.Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina. Former MLB second baseman Robinson Cano drove in three runs for the Dominican Republic with an RBI double.
Robinson Cano is currently playing for Estrellas Orientales in LIDOM. This is Cano’s sixth season playing for Estrellas Orientales and he made his LIDOM debut in 2006. Cano has five doubles and five RBI in 75 at-bats for Estrellas Orientales this winter. Cano played in MLB for 17 seasons with the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, and Atlanta Braves.
Cano is an eight-time All-Star and was a World Series champion with the Yankees in 2009. Cano has 335 MLB home runs, 1,306 RBI, 51 stolen bases, a .301 batting average, and an OPS of .839.
Cincinnati Reds infielder Nolevi Marte was diagnosed with a strain in the crow tendon. Marte will not play for Gigantes del Cibao for the rest of the winter but is expected to be ready for spring training workouts with the Reds. The news was reported by thepostdom.com on December 2. Martre played four games in LIDOM and had three RBI, seven hits, and a stolen base in 17 at-bats.
Marte is the Reds’ top prospect and ranks 23rd in MLB Pipeline’s top 100. Marte made his MLB debut last season, playing 35 games with the Reds. He had three home runs, 15 RBI, eight stolen bases, and an OPS of .822.
Jario Asencio is a relief pitcher for Tigres del Licey and he leads LIDOM with 10 saves. Asencio has appeared in 18 games pitching 18.2 innings. He has 14 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.38. Asencio has pitched 15 seasons in LIDOM, with his first four coming with Toros del Este. He made his LIDOM debut in 2009 and joined Tigres del Licey in 2013. His LIDOM career stats are 404 innings, 395 strikeouts, 208 saves, and an ERA of 2.45.
Asencio was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2001 as an International Free agent out of the Dominican Republic. He made his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves in 2009 and pitched in MLB for four years. He also pitched for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs, and Baltimore Orioles. His last MLB appearance was in 2013 with the Orioles. His career MLB numbers are 56 innings, 41 strikeouts, and an ERA of 5.34. He pitched in the KBO in 2014 with the Kia Tigers. His numbers were 47 innings, 56 strikeouts, 20 saves, and an ERA of 4.05.
Toros del Este infielder Ronny Simon leads LIDOM with a .346 batting average. He has four home runs, 15 RBI, 13 stolen bases, and an OPS of .942 in 37 games. This is his third season playing in LIDOM for Toros del Este. Simon is a Tampa Rays prospect and has yet to make his MLB debut. Simon signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs in 2018. He was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2020 for reliever Andrew Chafin. He was traded again in 2021 to the Tampa Bay Rays for outfielder Jordan Luplow.
Simon was called up to the Rays Triple-A affiliate the Durham Bulls on August 17, 2023. He played 98 games with the Rays Double-A affiliate the Montgomery Biscuits. He had 13 home runs, 56 RBI, 31 stolen bases, and an OPS of .737 between both levels this season. His career Minor League stats are 55 home runs, 228 RBI, 103 stolen bases, and an OPS of .782.
Aguilas Cibaeñas infielder/outfielder Christopher Morel has been leading off and has played second base, third base, left field, and center field. Morel has two home runs, six RBI, four stolen bases, and an OPS of .788. This is Morel’s second season playing in LIDOM for Aguilas Cibaenas. Morel signed with the Chicago Cubs as an international free agent in 2015 out of the Dominican Republic.
He has played two seasons in MLB with the Cubs. Last season Morel had 26 home runs, 70 RBI, six stolen bases, and an OPS of .821 in 107 games. His career numbers are 42 home runs, 117 RBI, 16 stolen bases, and an OPS of .781 in 767 at-bats.
Leones del Escogido infielder/outfielder Otto Lopez has been hitting second and has played second base, left field, and center field. Lopez has one home run, 11 RBI, stolen three bases, and has an OPS of .794 in 20 games. Lopez has played five seasons in LIDOM and has played four of them with Leones del Escogido. He made his LIDOM debut in 2019 and played one season with Gigantes del Cibao in 2021. Lopez signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2016 as an International Free Agent out of the Dominican Republic.
Lopez made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays in 2022. He got six hits in 10 at-bats and had three RBI. Lopez spent 2023 with the Blue Jays Triple-A affiliate the Buffalo Bisons. He had two home runs, 35 RBI, and 13 stolen bases in 84 games. He has played six seasons in the Blue Jays Minor League system. His Minor League stats are 19 home runs, 228 RBI, 90 stolen bases, and an OPS of .771. Lopez played for team Canada in the 2023 WBC. Lopez had one home run and six RBI in four games in Pool C of the WBC at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona
LIDOM Standings
Estrellas Orientales 22-16
Gigantes del Cibao 21-17
Tigres del Licey 20-17
Leones del Escogido 20-18
Toros del Este 16-21
Aguilas Cibaeñas 13-23