LMP: All Roads in the 2026-27 Season Lead To Hermosillo, Where the LMP Hosts Unprecedented Third Straight Caribbean Series

The Caribbean Series had been moved from Venezuela to Mexico once before, so when the Confederacion de Beisbol Profesional del Caribe announced last December that the 2027 Caribbean Series would relocate from Caracas to Zapopan, it wasn't a huge surprise.

What it meant for the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico, of course, was that not only would they get two teams into the Caribbean Series, as Venezuela's Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional elected not to send a representative in the wake of the move, but also that the LMP would host three consecutive Caribbean Series. That, friends, has never happened before.

All roads will lead to Hermosillo's Estadio Fernando Valenzuela, as good a ballpark as you'll find anywhere, for the 2027 Caribbean Series, the seventh winter ball classic to be played in Sonora's capital and the second at Estadio Valenzuela. It'll follow great events in Mexicali and Zapopan before the Caribbean Series heads to Miami for 2028-30.

Last year's LMP season culminated with the Charros de Jalisco sweeping the Tomateros de Culiacan in the championship series, and then a nail-biting 12-11 win in 10 innings for the Charros over the Tomateros at Estadio Panamericano in Zapopan to give Jalisco its first Caribbean Series title.

The new winter ball season starts tomorrow night in Mexico and Venezuela. Here's a look at each of the 10 teams in the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico, each of whom hopes to end their season in Hermosillo.

Charros de Jalisco

Stadium – Estadio Panamericano, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
Manager – Benji Gil (Fourth Season)
Notable Players – Mateo Gil, SS; Michael Wielansky, 2B; Luis Ivan Rodriguez, SP.
2026 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Thomas McIlraith, P; Hunter McMahon, P; Dan Kubiuk, P; Joey Riley, P.
2026 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Edgar Sanchez, IF; Emiliano Garcia Morales, P; Alex de Lira Serna, P; Francisco Cordoba, C.
Last Year – 38-30 Regular Season, Beat Hermosillo 4-2, Beat Mexicali 4-1, Beat Culiacan 4-0. Won Caribbean Series Championship Game 12-11 in 10 innings vs. Culiacan.
Outlook – As two-time defending champions, Benji Gil's club has a target on their back. After finishing tied for fifth, the Charros had their toughest challenge of the playoffs in the first round, winning a series that was even after four games, then blowing past Mexicali after falling behind two games to one and sweeping Culiacan for the LMP championship. Focused on pitching in the Foreign Draft, the Charros would be happy if McIlraith, McMahon, and Kubiuk all showed up in Zapopan - after all, they may have won the championship and the Caribbean Series, but they did it with a pitching staff that ranked last in the LMP in ERA at 5.17, more than half a point worse than the ninth-ranked club in Guasave.

Tomateros de Culiacan

Stadium – Estadio Tomateros, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
Manager – Lorenzo Bundy (Second Season)
Notable Players – Luis Cessa, SP; Joey Meneses, IF; Ichiro Cano, IF; Ali Solis, C.
2026 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Noah Skirrow, P; Roenis Elias, P; Tyler Thomas, P; Darrell Thompson, P.
2026 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Zayeck Pacheco, P; Jesus Ibarra, P; Abner Guzman, P; Eduardo Reyes Loreto, P; Enrique Zavala, OF; Jose Alonso Almeida, IF; Cesar Uscanga, P; Diego Gael Garcia, P.
Last Year – 40-28 Regular Season, Beat Los Mochis 4-3, Beat Guasave 4-0, Lost to Jalisco 4-0, Lost Caribbean Series Championship Game 12-11 in 10 innings vs. Jalisco.
Outlook – Midway through the season, the Tomateros needed a new face in charge, and in came Lorenzo Bundy, the veteran manager who led the Diablos Rojos to back-to-back titles in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol and won LMP titles with Navojoa in 2000, Hermosillo in 2007, and Mazatlan in 2009. Immediately, the team reeled off 12 straight wins, and he got a team that was in the bottom half to the championship series, earning them a surprise trip to the Caribbean Series when it was moved to Guadalajara. At winter ball's big dance, Bundy's killer tomatoes took the Charros to extra innings in the title game, ultimately falling on a wild pitch that allowed the winning run to score. If Bundy, as good a manager as you'll find anywhere, can build on last season, they'll be tough to beat. Noah Skirrow is likely their best addition from the foreign player draft, and Thomas and Thompson could be key additions in a league where pitching is always at a premium.

Naranjeros de Hermosillo

Stadium – Estadio Fernando Valenzuela, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Manager – Jose "Cheo" Moreno (First Season)
Notable Players – Willie Calhoun, IF; Jasson Atondo, IF; Matt Foster, RP; Braulio Torres-Perez, SP.
2026 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Taylor Williams, P; Mark Contreras, OF; Thyago Vieira, P; Troy Viola, OF.
2026 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Rafael Eduardo Valenzuela, P; Francisco Perez, P; Saul Soto, P; Omar David Munoz, P; Eduardo Osuna, OF; Christopher Lozoya, P; Jose Maximiliano Mendez, P.
Last Year – 40-28 Regular Season, Lost to Jalisco 4-2 in first round.
Outlook – Two years after guiding the team to the LMP title and the 2024 Caribbean Series in Miami, Juan Castro was shown the door after a disappointing first round exit at the hands of the eventual champions from Zapopan. Venezuelan Jose Moreno will take over for this season after starting last year with the Algodoneros de Guasave, where he lasted until Nov. 20. He should have more to work with in Hermosillo, where the organization will hope to play in the Caribbean Series in their home ballpark. From the foreign draft, Mark Contreras is coming off a great season in Chihuahua where he hit .310/.371/.514 with 10 homers and 48 RBIs in 68 games, and Troy Viola could potentially add a similar power bat to the lineup should they show up.

Yaquis de Obregon

Stadium – Estadio Yaquis, Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico
Manager – José Mosquera (First Season)
Notable Players – Allen Cordoba, OF; Odrisamer Despaigne, SP; Brandon Brennan, SP; Riley Unroe, IF.
2026 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Kyle Garlick, OF; Brett De Geus, P; Nolan Blackwood, P; Florencio Serrano, P.
2026 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Santiago Valdez, P; Eduardo Miranda, P; Francisco Garcia, P; Rodrigo Macias, P; Christian Rivas, C; Eduardo Cantarell, P; Ulises Artea, P.
Last Year – 40-28 Regular Season, Lost to Mexicali 4-0 in first round.
Outlook – Colombia's Jose Mosquera will get his first taste of the LMP after he was named manager in June. He'll have a pretty good core returning, though unfortunately for the Yaquis, elite reliever Brett De Geus will be playing in the Dominican Republic rather than joining the Yaquis. With the third-lowest OPS in the LMP last year, the Yaquis will need to get on base at a better clip -- they were next-to-last in the league with a .338 OBP last year -- and hit a touch better. They had a stable pitching staff with the second-best team ERA in the LMP last year, so with some better offense, the Yaquis could be a threat to win games in the playoffs.

Jaguares de Nayarit

Stadium – Estadio Coloso del Pacifico, Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico
Manager – Luis Carlos Rivera (Second Season)
Notable Players – Jacob Rhinesmith, OF; Carlos Sepulveda, SS; Jared Wetherbee, SP; Faustino Carrera, SP.
2026 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Seth Beer, IF; Ryley Gilliam, P; Matt McDermott, IF; Gilberto Luna, P.
2026 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Giovanni Lucero, P; Jose Manuel Soria, P; Randy Acosta, P; Mauricio Ramirez, P; Omar Sainz, P; Salvador Villareal, P; Aram Samuel Castellon, IF; Axel Galvan, P; Johan Lopez, IF; Porfirio Guerrero, P.
Last Year – 40-28 Regular Season, Lost to Guasave 4-1 in first round.
Outlook – The Jaguares look to rebound after a first round exit despite tying for the top record in the regular season. If Matt McDermott and Seth Beer both come play at the Coloso del Pacifico, that'll make the lineup that had the second-best OPS in the LMP last year a lot stronger. The Jaguares had the third-best Team ERA last season, and if they can maintain a staff that is in the top half of the league, home field in the first round or two of the playoffs is a likely outcome.

Caneros de Los Mochis

Stadium – Estadio Emilio Ibarra Almada, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
Manager – Chris Coste (Second Season)
Notable Players – Eric Filia, OF; Josh Rehwaldt, OF; Leonys Martin, OF; Yurisbel Gracial, IF; Isaac Rodrgiuez, IF; Mallex Smith, OF.
2026 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Brander Guevara, P; Justus Sheffield, P; Stephen Tarpley, P; Caleb Smith, P.
2026 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Jose Fernando Soto, P; Christopher Rochin, P; Alejandro Carrillo, P; Luis Angel Medina, IF; Jesus Jauregui, P; Mario Caballero, P.
Last Year – 38-30 Regular Season, Lost to Culiacan 4-3 in first round.
Outlook – Chris Coste, the long-time skipper of the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the American Association, will get his first full season at the helm of a club in his second home. Last year, the Caneros were a middle-of-the-pack team, though they were able to take the Tomateros to a seventh game in the first round, showing that there is some potential there. A full season with Yurisbel Gracial in the lineup plus a strengthened pitching staff could push the Caneros toward to top of the league.

Aguilas de Mexicali 

Stadium – El Nido de Las Aguilas, Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
Manager – Roberto Vizcarra (First Season)
Notable Players – Yadiel Hernandez, OF; Norberto Obeso, OF; Guillermo Flores, C; Jake Sanchez, RP; Eduardo Vera, SP; David Reyes, SP.
2026 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Justin Turner, IF; Alejandro Hernandez, P; Alan Trejo, IF; Clayton Andrews, P.
2026 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Carlos Santiago Alcalde, OF; Miguel Zamudio, C; Victor Gallegos, P; Juan Karol Fabian, P; Kevin Gutierrez, C; Juan Fernando Montia, P.
Last Year – 33-35 Regular Season, Beat Obregon 4-0, Lost to Culiacan 4-0 in second round.
Outlook – The Aguilas kicked two managers out of the nest over the course of last season before settling on Vizcarra, who had led the Aguilas to the title in 2017. Perennially a good pitching team, they'll return elite starter David Reyes, who gives them a chance to win every time he takes the mound. Trejo and Turner, should they come to the border town for the winter, would go a long way to augment the team's middling offense.

Algodoneros de Guasave

Stadium – Kuroda Park, Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico
Manager – Jose “Cheo” Moreno (First Season)
Notable Players – Yadir Drake, OF; Grant Gavin, SP; Leo Heras, OF.
2025 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Spencer Turnbull, P; Ross Carver, P; Ryan Hendrix, P; Jake McSteen, P.
2025 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Josue Emmanuel Gomez, P; Luis Angel Serna, P; Cesar Ruiz, IF; Jorge Sanchez, P; Carlos Vazquez, P; Gerardo Bojorquez, P; Mateo Arzaluz, IF; Jose Isaac Valenzuela, OF; Luis Kalet Rosas, IF.
Last Year – 26-41 Regular Season, Lost to Nayarit 4-1 in first round.
Outlook – With the third-fewest runs per game in the LMP last year, the Algodoneros have to find some offense this season. They'll need to find some pitching, too, as they had the second-worst team ERA in the league and the third-most walks. They barely picked up the last playoff slot last year, so they'll have their sights set higher in 2026-27.

Mayos de Navojoa

Stadium – Estadio Manuel "Ciclon" Hecheverria, Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico
Manager – Miguel Tejada (First Season)
Notable Players – Collin Wiles, SP; Elian Leyva, SP; Carlos De La Cruz, OF; Agustin Ruiz, IF/OF.
2025 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Zac Lowther, P; Zach Plesac, P; Jared Walsh, OF; Tyler Viza, P.
2026 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Luis Martinez, P; Jesus Palomares, P; Adrian Garcia, IF; Fernando de Lira, P; Javier Mireles, OF; Carlos Martinez, P.
Last Year – 23-45 Regular Season.
Outlook – The Mayos de Navojoa left the smallest market in the LAMP after the 2024-25 season and became the first team to call a city in the U.S. home... until they didn't secure the visas for players and staff to work in the U.S., forcing them to play the entire season on the road. Sonora put MX$120 million into a renovation of the stadium, and the Mayos returned home for the coming season. Miguel Tejada will have a former MLB All-Star in the lineup if Jared Walsh comes to town. Walsh slashed .333/.429/.569 in 88 games with Jalisco, hitting 15 homers and driving in 59 runs in his return to the field.

Venados de Mazatlan

Stadium – Estadio Teodoro Mariscal, Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico
Manager – Chris Roberson (First Season)
Notable Players – Phil Ervin, OF; Ramiro Pena, OF; Javier Solano, SP; J.P. Woodward, RP; Gaige Howard, OF.
2026 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Jacob Nix, P; Thomas Romero, P; Evan Grills, P.
2026 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Leonel Becerra, P; Emmanuel Avila, IF; Amilcar Arano, P; Henry Briones, P; Jesus Payan, IF; Angel Rojas, C; Emiliano Vazquez, P; Ruben Reyes, P; Octavio Acosta, P; Victor Penuelas, P.
Last Year – 22-46 Regular Season.
Outlook –  Chris Roberson will get his first chance as a manager, and there's nowhere the Venados can go but up. The former Philadelphia Phillie will have a challenge, though, as the Venados finished last in every offensive category that matters and had a below-average pitching staff.