LAMP 2025-26 Preview: Will the Charros de Jalisco Cowboy Up Again?

A year ago, the Charros de Jalisco reached the championship game at the Caribbean Series, marking the first time Mexico’s representative at winter ball’s crown jewel event made the final in eight years.

They fell just short, losing 1-0 to the Leones del Escogido of LIDOM before a home crowd in Mexicali, but Benji Gil’s club returns most of the roster, a number of whom played for him in the summer, where the Charros of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol went to the Serie del Rey.

The Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico looks to be a league on the rise in 2025-26, with two teams relocating to newer, stronger markets that make sense for the league travel-wise. The Sultanes de Monterrey franchise was sold and transferred to Tepic, where the Jaguares de Nayarit will play in the brand-new Coloso del Pacifico, which opened last year with the WBSC Premier12, and the Mayos de Navojoa, who had been struggling on the field and at the box office in the smallest city in the LAMP, have moved to Tucson, Ariz.

Winter ball in Tucson should be a great fit. The city’s Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium hasn’t hosted high-level professional baseball since the Triple-A Tucson Padres moved to El Paso, Texas, following the 2013 season, but the 11,500-seat facility hosted the Padres, and previously, the Sidewinders, as well as Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks spring training. It’s a city with a metropolitan population greater than 1 million. And between the University of Arizona and the long history of Triple-A ball and spring training being held there, it’s definitely a baseball town.

Will it be a winter ball town? That’ll depend upon how well the owners do at marketing what could be perceived as a “foreign” brand of baseball to an American audience. But given the high level of play in the LAMP and the combination of prospects and current and former Major Leaguers who play in the league, it should be appealing to the fan base.

Unfortunately, opening night in Tucson, which was supposed to be Oct. 16 against Hermosillo, has been postponed, with the TBT forced to play home games on the road in Mexico while they secure the necessary visas for players and staff from outside the United States. Due to the U.S. government being shut down, it’s likely that the process might take a while longer.

Where to Watch – Games from the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico can be streamed live via the league’s YouTube page. There is a monthly subscription fee. According to a post by BeisbolPuro on X, the LAMP’s games will also be available on MLB.tv with a subscription, though this hasn’t yet been confirmed by the LAMP or MLB.tv.

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Charros de Jalisco
Stadium – Estadio Panamericano, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
Manager – Benji Gil (Third Season)
Notable Players – Mateo Gil, SS; Michael Wielansky, 2B; Jack Mayfield, 3B; Trevor Clifton, RP.
2025 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Connor Hollis, IF; Stephen Gonsalves, LHP; Nolan Blackwood, RHP; Kyle Garlick, IF.
2025 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Julio Gonzalez, RHP; Jose Ramon Gonzalez, RHP; Adrian Emmanuel Ruiz, RHP; Carlos Mendivil, C; Roberto Paul Castellanos, RHP; Isaias Felix Carrizoza, LHP; Brayan Lozano Flores, RHP; Victor Manuel Encinas, OF; Jesus Angel Cordova, OF.
Last Year – 37-31 Regular Season (fourth place), Beat Mexicali 4-1, Beat Hermosillo 4-1, Beat Culiacan 4-2, Lost Caribbean Series Championship Game 1-0.
Outlook – Benji Gil wasn’t around for the full season in 2024-25, missing a lot of the first half to manage Mexico in the WBSC Premier12. But when Gil was back in the Charros dugout, the team went on a tear, ripping through the playoffs and coming within a run of winning the Caribbean Series in Mexicali. If Foreign Player Draft picks Connor Hollis and Kyle Garlick come to Zapopan this winter, they’ll strengthen a lineup that scored the most runs in the league last year. The Charros have a target on their back as the defending champs, but they haven’t lost a step.

Tomateros de Culiacan
Stadium – Estadio Tomateros, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
Manager – Roberto Vizcarra (Second Season)
Notable Players – Luis Cessa, SP; Joey Meneses, IF; Dwight Smith Jr., OF.
2025 Foreign Player Draft Picks – JP Martinez, OF; Joe Record, P; Jonathan Arauz, IF; Ken Giles, P; Aledmys Diaz, IF.
2025 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Dahel De Jesus Lopez Herrera, RHP; Valentin Ernesto Hernandez Fabela, OF*; Jose Octavio Navarrete Ramirez, RHP; Maximiliano Villanueva Valdivia, RHP; Santiago Alfonso Retamoza, C; Juan Jose Marquez Navarro, RHP; Edwin Guillermo Valenzuela Calvillo, RHP; Angel Emiliano Barboza, C.
Last Year – 43-25 Regular Season, Beat Mazatlan 4-1, Beat Los Mochis 4-2, Lost to Jalisco 4-2
Outlook – Adding Jonathan Arauz, JP Martinez, and Aledmys Diaz strengthens the lineup, but the Tomateros pitching was in the middle of the pack last year. Luis Cessa had a great season with Obregon last winter and could be the starter that the Tomateros need. If Ken Giles, once a formidable Major League closer, makes it to Culiacan, don’t expect him to help too much. Giles struggled in limited action in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol with Yucatan and Campeche this summer.

Naranjeros de Hermosillo
Stadium – Estadio Fernando Valenzuela, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Manager – Juan Gabriel Castro (Fifth Season)
Notable Players – Willie Calhoun, OF/1B;
2025 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Paul Fry, LHP; Tyler Danish, RHP; Donny Sands, C; JJ Matijevic, OF.
2025 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Sebastian Lopez Garcia, LHP; Sergio Noe Rodriguez Pardo, RHP; Derek Jiram Ayala Cornejo, RHP; Rey Jesus Didier Pacheco Ruiz, RHP; Jorge Rodriguez Flores, LHP; Jose Maria Albertos, RHP; Jesus Guillermo Rodriguez Encinas, RHP; Francisco Eduardo Coronado Guerrero, IF; Hector Gerardo Hernandez Leon, OF.
Last Year – 42-26 Regular Season, Beat Obregon 4-2, Lost to Jalisco 4-1.
Outlook – Castro’s team ran into Benji Gil’s buzzsaw in the playoffs, but are only two years removed from their last LAMP title. Willie Calhoun’s bat provides a lot of power, and he had a good summer spent mostly with a bad team in Quintana Roo of the LMB, but still managed to drive in 66 runs in 82 games. Former Baltimore farmhand Terry ‘TT’ Bowens could be a breakout player if he can take a more disciplined approach at the plate.

Caneros de Los Mochis
Stadium – Estadio Emilio Ibarra Almada, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
Manager – Felix Fermin (Third Season)
Notable Players –
2025 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Yurisbel Gracial, OF; Danis Correa, RHP; Deylen Miley, RHP, Michel Baez, RHP.
2025 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Andres Perez Martinez, RHP; Erick Lucero, LHP; Valentin Ernesto Hernandez Fabela, OF*; Raul Castellon Andrade, RHP; Juan Francisco Castillo Bernal, RHP; Yanixan Resendiz Lugo, RHP; Christopher Alfredo Pacheco Agundez, RHP.
Last Year – 37-31 Regular Season, Beat Guasave 4-3, Lost to Culiacan 4-2.
Outlook – You can’t blame the Caneros for selecting Yurisbel Gracial in the foreign player draft, after all, he’s hit 39 homers and driven in 132 runs with the Conspiradores de Queretaro over the last two seasons in the LMB. Unfortunately, at least for now, he’s back in Cuba playing in the Serie Nacional for the Cocodrilos de Mantanzas. Last year, Los Mochis had 140 extra-base hits, fifth in the league, but a little more power could get the Caneros back to Caracas — where they last visited for the 2023 Caribbean Series.

Algodoneros de Guasave
Stadium – Kuroda Park, Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico
Manager – Jose “Cheo” Moreno (First Season)
Notable Players – Yadir Drake, OF; Grant Gavin, SP.
2025 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Julio Robaina, P; Jared Carr, OF; Trevor Kelley, P; Robert Emery, C.
2025 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Ichiro Armando Rodriguez Seki, IF; Carlos Sandoval Campos, OF; Yohangel Yoel Garcia Garcia, OF; Ismael Coronado Silva, P; Paul Sebastian Mendoza Coronado, P; Miguel Pena, P; Gonzalo Sanudo Avalos, P.
Last Year – 35-33 Regular Season, Lost to Los Mochis 4-3
Outlook – Yadir Drake drives the Algodoneros offensively, and Grant Gavin is an elite starting pitcher at this level. Robaina could give the Algodoneros a second elite starter if he maintains form form the summer, where he posted a 3.17 ERA in 71 innings for a putrid Tigres de Quintana Roo team in the LMB, and Kelley could strengthen the pitching staff. Carr showed promise in limited action with Aguascalientes this summer. Ultimately, the Algodoneros’ success this year will depend on getting more runners on base for Drake to drive in. Aldrem Corredor is in camp with the Leones del Caracas in Venezuela, but if he were to show up in Guasave, it would strengthen the Algodoneros’ offense.

Aguilas de Mexicali 
Stadium – El Nido de Las Aguilas, Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
Manager – Oscar Robles (First Season)
Notable Players – Yadiel Hernandez, OF; Norberto Obeso, OF; Guillermo Flores, C; Jake Sanchez, RP; Eduardo Vera, SP
2025 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Cade Gotta, OF; Jorge Garcia, RHP; Daniel Zamora, LHP.
2025 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Jose Miguel Burciaga, OF; Carlos Durstewitz, OF; Kevin Machorro, LHP; Alberto Enrique Quesney, RHP; Angel Sebastian Lopez Atondo, LHP; Oliver Rosas, LHP; Claudio Antuan, IF; Carlos Arellano Perla, IF.
Last Year – 34-33 Regular Season, Lost to Jalisco 4-1
Outlook – Fans in Mexicali were undoubtedly disappointed by the Aguilas’ early playoff exit in the year that their city hosted the Caribbean Series, but there’s a lot to look forward to at El Nido this year. Yadiel Hernandez brings a lot of power to the Aguilas. Though El Nido is a pitcher’s park, and he may not hit as many homers, look for him to provide a lot of punch with extra base hits. Eduardo Vera returns, bringing a veteran presence to the starting rotation and has a 2.84 career ERA in 307 1/3 innings over seven seasons in the LAMP with Mexicali and Mazatlan.

Yaquis de Obregon
Stadium – Estadio Yaquis, Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico
Manager – Gabe Alvarez (First Season)
Notable Players – Allen Cordoba, OF; Odrisamer Despaigne, SP; Brandon Brennan, SP; Riley Unroe, IF
2025 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Taylor Williams, RHP; Jimmy Yacabonis, P; Joshua Lester, IF; Zac Grotz, RHP.
2025 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Bryan Lara Ortega, RHP; Ever Ignacio Ortiz, LHP; Esau Beltran Valenzuela, RHP; Luis Armando Canonico, IF; Orlando Lara Bravo, LHP.
Last Year – 32-35 Regular Season, Lost to Hermosillo 4-2.
Outlook – Brandon Brennan and Odrisamer Despaigne are both solid starters, and Despaigne, at 38, shows no signs of slowing down, having pitched 181 2/3 innings last year between Yucatan in the LMB and Obregon in the LAMP. Riley Unroe could be a big part of the lineup, and drove in 34 runs in 68 games with Triple-A Toledo in the summer. His Toledo teammate Andrew Navigato will be making his winter ball debut with Obregon this winter as well. The Yaquis’ had strong pitching last year, leading the league in ERA with a 2.80 mark. Their offensive production will dictate how far they will go.

Venados de Mazatlan
Stadium – Estadio Teodoro Mariscal, Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico
Manager – Juan Jose Pacho (Sixth Season)
Notable Players – Phil Ervin, OF; Ramiro Pena, OF; Javier Solano, SP; J.P. Woodward, RP
2025 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Art Charles, IF; Cam Alldred, P.
2025 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Jorge Luis Franco, LHP; Dustin Escarrega, IF; Jeremy Lozano, IF; Juan Manuel Garza, IF; Jesus Eduardo Peraza, P; Gerardo Castaneda, No Position Listed; Edgar Rodriguez, P.
Last Year – 30-38 Regular Season, Lost to Culiacan 4-1.
Outlook –  It was a middling season in 2024-25 for Mazatlan, finishing eight games under .500 in the regular season and winning just one playoff game, and they didn’t make great picks in the Foreign Player Draft. Power hitter Art Charles hasn’t played winter ball since before the Covid-19 Pandemic, and Alldred, while a solid pitcher, has never pitched in the winter. If anything, they were defensive picks that keep both players from appearing on another LAMP team’s rsoter. Winter ball is inherently unpredictable, but there’s nothing here to think this season will be much different from last season for the Venados.

Tucson Baseball Team
Stadium – Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium, Tucson, Ariz.
Manager – Willie Romero (Second Season)
Notable Players – Matt McDermott, IF; Bobby Bradley, IF; Jorge Luis Sauceda, RP; Damian Mendoza, SP
2025 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Devin Smeltzer, P; Clayton Andrews, P; Jimmy Kerrigan, OF; Christian Young, P.
2025 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Eduardo Mares, P; Luis Villavicenio, P; Alejandro Quezada, OF; Alejandro Quezada, OF; Cesar Vivanco, RHP; Manuel Delgado, OF; Aaron Granados, RHP; Nomar Meza, P; Alexander Ibarra, RHP; Roberto Garza, OF; Marcos Valenzuela, IF; Hans Chacon, OF.
Last Year – 25-43 Regular Season.
Outlook – The Mayos de Navojoa left the smallest market in the LAMP after last season and became the first team to call a city in the U.S. home. It’d certainly be interesting if Tucson, Ariz., were to win (or host) a Caribbean Series, though it might take a couple of years to get there. If Jimmy Kerrigan comes to Tucson, he’ll bring a lot of power to the lineup. Smeltzer and Andrews each bring Major League experience to a staff that had the highest ERA and allowed the most runs in the LAMP last year.

Jaguares de Nayarit
Stadium – Estadio Coloso del Pacifico, Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico
Manager – Luis Carlos Rivera (First Season)
Notable Players – Ricardo Valenzuela, C; Carlos Sepulveda, IF; Donovan Casey, OF; Faustino Carrera, SP.
2025 Foreign Player Draft Picks – Nathan Antone, RHP; Caleb Baragar, LHP; Julio Teheran, RHP; Christopher Ellis, RHP.
2025 Mexican Player Draft Picks – Daniel Cornejo, OF; Miguel Emmanuel Martinez, RHP; Joseph Maximiliano Mochetto, RHP; Luis Manuel Ramos, RHP; Jesus Villalobos, IF; Fausto Gerardo Hernandez Murillo, RHP; Jose Maria Sanchez, RHP; Sebastian Sanchez, IF; Alain Zarza, LHP; Angel Bonilla, IF; Juan Carlos Torres, LHP.
Last Year – 24-44 Regular Season.
Outlook – In Monterrey, the LAMP franchise played second fiddle to the LMB in terms of fan interest, but in Nayarit, they’ll have a new stadium in a new market with lower travel costs. From where they were last year, there’s nowhere to go but up, and if they can get all four pitchers they took in the Foreign Player Draft to come to Tepic, they’ll have a good chance to get out of the cellar and back into the playoffs.

* – Fabela was selected twice during the 2025 Mexican Player Draft.

Photo: The Charros de Jalisco celebrate their first trip to the Serie del Rey since 1971. (Photo courtesy of the Charros de Jalisco)