Photo: Getty Images
By Conor Liguori
World Baseball Network
The Naranjeros de Hermosillo of Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico swept the Venados de Mazatlan in the championship series last week to punch their first ticket to the Caribbean Series since 2014.
Hermosillo will represent Mexico at loanDepot Park in Miami, and the Naranjeros have previously won two Caribbean Series championships in 1976 and 2014.
Mexico’s 28-man roster will carry 15 pitchers, two catchers, seven infielders, and four outfielders. Fourteen players on the team will be reinforcements, including seven pitchers. Hermosillo infielder Jasson Atondo did not travel with the team due to the birth of his son, according to ESPN Deportes.
Hermosillo made relatively easy work of the Venados de Mazatlan and has a lineup that contains multiple threats in the heart of the order. The biggest offensive threat is infielder Isaac Paredes, who hit a career-high 31 home runs with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023. First baseman and outfielder Bobby Bradley is also a player to watch out for. The lefty hitter batted .281 with 19 RBI in 36 games for the Sultanes de Monterrey.
Outfielder Aaron Altherr was named the MVP of the LAMP championship series, hitting a three-run home run in game one and a solo home run in game three.
The pitching staff posted a 3.63 ERA during the regular season, and the Caribbean Series roster includes reinforcements Odrisamer Despaigne and Juan Gamez, among five others. Gamez had a 0.93 ERA with six saves during the 2023-24 LAMP regular season with the Caneros de Los Mochis. Despaigne, 36, fared relatively well during the regular season with the Yaquis de Obregon, striking out seven hitters per nine innings and allowing just five home runs in 87.2 innings.
Juan Gabriel Castro is the current manager of the Naranjeros de Hermosillo and will continue in that role for Mexico in the Caribbean Series. He was a member of the Mexico national baseball team coaching staff in the 2013 World Baseball Classic and manager of the 2019 WBSC Premier12.
Mexico will compete in the second game of the first day of the Caribbean Series on Thursday, Feb. 1, at 3:30 p.m. ET against Curacao. The game will air on ESPN+.
Mexico 2024 Caribbean Series Schedule
All Games At loanDepot Park, Miami.
All times Eastern Standard Time.
Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024
3:30 p.m. – Curacao vs. Mexico
Friday, Feb. 2, 2024
8:30 p.m. – Puerto Rico vs. Mexico
Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024
3:30 p.m. – Mexico vs. Panama
Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024
8:30 p.m. – Mexico vs. Dominican Republic
Monday, Feb. 5, 2024
3:30 p.m. – Venezuela vs. Mexico
Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024
10:30 a.m. – Mexico vs. Nicaragua
Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024
3 p.m. – Semifinal No. 1
8 p.m. – Semifinal No. 2
Friday, Feb. 9, 2024
3 p.m. – Third-place Game
8 p.m. – Championship Game
México (Naranjeros de Hermosillo) 2024 Caribbean Series Roster
Pitchers
Odrisamer Despaigne
Jeff Kinley
Manny Barreda
Zach Matson
Wilmer Rios
Joe Van Meter
Omar Cruz
Taylor Williams
Curtis Taylor
Jose Samayoa
Fernando Salas
Luis Marquez
Jake Sanchez
Elkin Alcala
Juan Gamez
Catchers
Julian Leon
Alexis Wilson
Infielders
Isaac Paredes
Bobby Bradley
Irving Lopez
Ramiro Pena
Roberto Valenzuela
Juan Carlos Gamboa
Agustin Murillo
Outfielders
Aaron Altherr
Jose Cardona
Julian Ornelas
Randy Romero