The Toros de Tijuana of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol are already looking ahead to next season.
On Monday, the Toros announced former Major League Baseball outfielder Roberto Kelly as manager. Kelly, 61, comes to Tijuana after previous stints managing the Diablos Rojos del Mexico and the Sultanes de Monterrey in the LMB.
“As a manager, one dreams of being part of this organization, the projects and the vision that the Toros de Tijuana have has excited me. It’s something I wanted, a team that wants to do things well. That’s what Guillermo Armenta presented to me and that’s why I’m here,” said Kelly in a team press release.
In 2004, Kelly managed the Diablos to a 62-40 record, then managed Augusta of the South Atlantic League, the Low-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, for three seasons. He joined the Giants Major League staff in 2008 as first base coach and a baserunning instructor.
Ten years later, he was named the manager of the Sultanes de Monterrey, and delivered four Zona Norte titles and a championship to Monterrey in the fall of 2018. He stayed in Monterrey through the end of the 2025 season, when his Sultanes won the regular season title in the Zona Norte but were upset twice in the playoffs by the sixth-place Charros de Jalisco, falling four games to three in the first round and four games to one in the third round.
In total, Kelly has a postseason record of 67-56 in the LMB and a regular season record of 444-313.
The native of Panama City, Panama, played 14 seasons in MLB with the New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers, batting .290/.337/.430 in 1,337 games with 124 homers and 585 RBIs. In two seasons with the Diablos Rojos del Mexico in 2002 and 2003, Kelly batted .331/.415/.530 with 29 homers and 137 RBIs in 163 games.
“With George Steinbrenner, it was only one thing: winning,” Kelly said in a team press release. “With the Toros, I am listening to a board of directors to which I am already accustomed, here they want to win all the time. I am a winning guy and dedicated in everything I do, motivation goes as far as discipline, and those who know me, know how disciplined I am.”
Scouts Check Out Puebla’s Showcase – Sixteen MLB clubs sent scouts to a showcase held by the Pericos de Puebla last Friday, where the organization showed off the talents of 23 players in their academy.
The players were put through a standard tryout regimen, starting with a 60-yard run and warm-ups followed by infield, outfield, and catching drills. Batting practice followed for position players, and then the players participated in an exhibition game so the pitchers could throw live at-bats.
According to a press release issued by the Pericos, participating players included Ian Sevilla, Diego Fernández, Félix Paredes, Yunel Yescas, Diego Santos, Sadot Flores, César Sánchez, Aldo Rocha, Pablo Rico, Adolfo Rosales, Cristian Martínez, Jesús Rivera, Alexis Alcázar, Armando Sánchez, Zayeck Pacheco, Erick Hernández, Yael Sánchez, Iker Gutiérrez, Guerson Reyez, Danny Campos, José Miguel Acuña, Ethan Lamas and Luis Ramos.
The current MLB International Signing Period closes on Dec. 15.
Photo: Toros de Tijuana manager Roberto Kelly is introduced to the media at a press conference on Oct. 3. (Photo Courtesy of the Toros de Tijuana)
