LVBP: Schedule Released, Draft Conducted As Season Draws Closer

With less than a week to go until the 2025-26 season begins, Venezuela’s Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional announced the schedule for the league’s 80th season and conducted the league’s draft yesterday in Caracas.

The league’s 2025-26 season will be played in honor of Dave Concepcion, the native of Ocumare de la Costa, Venezuela who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball, all with the Cincinnati Reds, earning nine All-Star Game appearances, five Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers, and finished in the top 10 in National League MVP balloting twice.

“We are happy to reach 80 years of existence, and that’s why this season will be special,” said LVBP President Giuseppe Palmisano in Spanish in a press release on the league’s website. “We’ve reviewed the league’s history, which is one of the best in the Caribbean, and it’s an honor that David has accepted the tribute. It’s perfect.”

The regular season will again be 56 games, with each team facing each opponent eight times. The top four teams will advance to the 16-game Round Robin, while the fifth- and sixth-place teams will hold a Wild Card Series for the final spot in the playoff. The top two teams from the Round Robin will earn a berth in the championship series, which is expected to begin Jan. 23, 2026.

The release of the league’s schedule was delayed, Palmisano said, because, “We tried until the very end to hold some international exhibition games, but in the end, we had to back out. That impacted the schedule, and that’s why it took us so long to present it.”

The season will open Oct. 15 with the Cardenales de Lara hosting the Tigres de Aragua in a rematch of last year’s championship series. All eight teams will be in action on Oct. 16.

????⚾ Ya huele a pelota en cada rincón y este octubre arranca la Temporada 25-26, nada más y nada menos que los 80 años de #NuestroBeisbol.

Se viene la buena: apoyar a tu equipo, cantar las jugadas, vacilar con los panas en las gradas y celebrar juntos esta historia que nos une… pic.twitter.com/NwGy9X0xQW

— #NuestroBeisbol ⚾️???????? (@LVBP_Oficial) October 8, 2025

The league’s full schedule is available on the LVBP’s X account, @LVBP_Oficial, and should be available on the league’s website in the near future.

Prospect Leonel Mendoza Selected First In Draft – With the first pick in the 2025-26 LVBP Draft, the Caribes de Anzoategui selected lefty Leonel Mendoza, who played in Venezuela’s Liga Mayor de Beisbol Profesional this summer, throwing 15 2/3 innings with a 0.00 ERA, 11 strikeouts, five walks, and a 0.890 WHIP for the Samanes de Aragua.

Below are each team’s selections.

Caribes de Anzoategui – 1. Leonel Mendoza (LHP, Samanes de Aragua, LMBP), 2. Enddy Azócar (OF, Class-A, Boston Red Sox), 3. Lewis Sifontes (LHP, Class-A, Athletics), 4. Moisés Morales (RHP, Rookie, Texas Rangers), 5. Jermayne Verdú (RHP, Rookie, New York Mets), 6. Wuillians Herrera (RHP, Rookie, Los Angeles Dodgers), 7. Pedro Castellano (INF, Guerreros de Oaxaca, Mexico), 8. Carlos Franco (C, Double-A, Athletics), 9. Yaferson López (LD, Czech Republic).

Tiburones de La Guaira – 1. Kendry Chourio (RHP, Class-A, Kansas City Royals), 2. Irwin Ramírez (RHP, Rookie, Pittsburgh Pirates), 3. Victor Zárraga (LHP, Class-A, Chicago Cubs), 4. Jesús Superlano (INF, Class-A, Athletics), 5. Reiner Herrera (C, Rookie, Cleveland Guardians), 6. Omar Urbina (C, Rookie, Baltimore Orioles), 7. Jefferson Valladares (C, Class-A, Minnesota Twins).

Leones de Caracas – 1. Kelvis Salcedo (RHP, Class-A, Detroit Tigers), 2. Jesús Pinto (OF, Class-A, Detroit Tigers), 3. Jorger Petri (LHP, Class-A, Detroit Tigers), 4. Xiomer Guacache (RHP, Rookie, Detroit Tigers), 5. Newremberg Rondón (C, Rookie, Detroit Tigers), 6. Jorge Rodríguez (C, Rookie, Boston Red Sox), 7. Andrew Bolívar (RHP, Rookie, St. Louis Cardinals), 8. Jorge Julio (OF, Rookie, Philadelphia Phillies), 9. Jeckferxon Hernández (RHP, Class-A, Miami Marlins), 10. Juan Sulbarán (C, Double-A, Rangers).

Tigres de Aragua – 1. Juneiker Cáceres (OF, Class-A, Cleveland Guardians), 2. Zuher Yousuf (LHP, Class-A, Philadelphia Phillies), 3. Fabián Ysalla (RHP, Class-A, Chicago White Sox), 4. José Tovar (C, Rookie, Tampa Bay Rays), 5. Jesús Freitez (C, Class-A, Colorado Rockies), 6. Manuel Osorio (LHP, Rookie, Cleveland Guardians), 7. Sandro Pereira (INF, Rookie, Houston Astros), 8. Anthuan Valencia (INF, Class-A, Cincinnati Reds), 9. David Guzmán (OF, Rookie, Toronto Blue Jays).

Navegantes de Magallanes – 1. Darrel Lunar (RHP, Rookie, Washington Nationals), 2. Javier Bartolozzi (RHP, Rookie, Los Angeles Dodgers), 3. Carlos Renzullo (OF, Rookie, Colorado Rockies), 4. Alberth Palma (INF, Rookie, Tampa Bay Rays), 5. Josdanner Suárez (RHP, Rookie, Arizona Diamondbacks), 6. Renil Ramos (RHP, Rookie, Cleveland Guardians), 7. Ricardo Páez (OF, Rookie, Minnesota Twins), 8. Bryan Andrade (INF, Rookie, Athletics), 9. Ilan Fernández (INF, Rookie, Boston Red Sox), 10. Juan Ortega (C, Rookie, Baltimore Orioles).

Aguilas del Zulia – 1. Pablo Núñez (OF, Rookie, Cincinnati Reds), 2. Moisés Palma (RHP, Rookie, Tampa Bay Rays), 3. Yasmil Bucce (C, High-A, Baltimore Orioles), 4. Denison Sánchez (RHP, Rookie, Boston Red Sox), 5. Francisco Loreto (C, Rookie, Philadelphia Phillies), 6. Jesús Escobar (RHP, Rookie, Arizona Diamondbacks), 7. Jesús Oliveira (RHP, Rookie, Kansas City Royals), 7. Jesús Castillo (INF, High-A, Pittsburgh Pirates), 8. Liosward Marín (C, Rookie, Boston Red Sox), 9. César Franco (OF, High-A, Athletics).

Bravos de Margarita – 1. Darwin Rodriguez (LHP, Class-A, Kansas City Royals), 2. Wilder Dalis (INF, Class-A, Colorado Rockies), 3. Manuel Palencia (C, Double-A, New York Yankees), 4. Avinson Pinto (INF, Rookie, Boston Red Sox), 5. Francisco Espinoza (C, Rookie, Los Angeles Dodgers), 6. Argenis Aparicio (OF, Rookie, Milwaukee Brewers), 7. Eliesbert Alejos (INF, Rookie, Arizona Diamondbacks), 8. Luis Maracará (RHP, Rookie, San Diego Padres), 9. Moisés Bolívar (INF, Rookie, Los Angeles Dodgers)

Cardenales de Lara – 1. Enyerbert Pérez (INF, Class A, Arizona Diamondbacks), 2. Kevin Velasco (RHP, Rookie, Baltimore Orioles), 3. Wuilberth Méndez (RHP, Class A, Detroit Tigers), 4. Adrian Delgado (RHP, Class A, Baltimore Orioles), 5. Santiago Peraza (RHP, Rookie, Cleveland Guardians), 6. Raynerd Ortega (INF, Rookie, Los Angeles Dodgers), 7. Yosweld Vásquez (C, Rookie, Houston Astros), 8. Jesús Colina (RHP, Rookie, Cincinnati Reds), 9. Yohander Linarez (INF, Class A, Boston Red Sox).

Photo: An aerial view of the La Rinconada baseball stadium in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023. The 65th edition of the Caribbean Series begins on Feb. 2, 2023 in Venezuela. Games will take place in Caracas at the La Rinconada and in La Guaira. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)