(Photo: Getty Images)
By Matthew Tallarini
World Baseball Network
The Federación Nicaragüense de Béisbol Asociada announced their preselection 2024 Caribbean Series roster on Jan. 17.
The 2024 Caribbean Series will be held in Miami at loanDepot Park from Feb. 1-9.
Nicaragua will play their first game of the 2024 Caribbean Series on Feb. 1 at loanDepot Park against Puerto Rico at 10:30 a.m. EST and will be televised on ESPN Deportes.
The 2024 Caribbean Series will be the first time that the event will take place in a Major League Baseball stadium.
Nicaragua’s roster will have Nicaraguan-born players as well as up to seven foreign players. The team will be made up of players from all five teams in the Liga de Beisbol Profesional Nacional. Nicaragua scouted for other players to join the team as reinforcements for the 2024 Caribbean Series roster from the pool of players who played in the winter leagues during the 2023-24 season.
Players that have played in the U.S. minor leagues, Major League Baseball, independent leagues in the United States and Canada, and professional free agents are on Nicaragua’s provisional roster for the 2024 Caribbean Series.
Luis Ramirez, Yoanner Negrin, Jesus Linarez, Samuel Adames, Euclides Leyer, Francisco Peguero, Jarius Richards, and Alay Lago are the foreign players listed on Nicaragua’s provisional roster.
Melvin Novoa, Juan Diego Montes, Leonardo Crawford, Carlos Teller, Junior Tellez, Elian Miranda, Cheslor Cuthbert, Fidencio Flores, Osman Gutierrez, Norlando Valle, Ronald Medrano and Joaquin Acuna all played in the 2023 World Baseball Classic for Nicaragua and are on the provisional roster for the 2024 Caribbean Series.
Nemasio Porras is the president of FENIBA.
FENIBA announced Marvin Bernard as their manager for the 2024 Caribbean Series on Dec. 18.
The 2024 Caribbean Series coaching staff for Nicaragua includes Juan Lopez being the bench coach and hitting coach, Lenin Picota assigned as the pitching coach, Oswaldo Mairena as a bullpen coach, Sandor Guido will be the third base coach, and Eddy Talavera is assigned as the first base coach.
Nicaragua’s last participated in a club tournament when the country played in the Latin American Series, which was established in 2013 and played through 2019. Nicaragua won four straight Latin American Series from 2016-2019. Gigantes de Rivas represented Nicaragua in 2016, Tigres de Chinandega in 2017 and 2018, and Leones de Leon in 2019.
This will be the first time Nicaragua will have a team in the Caribbean Series in their nation’s history. The Caribbean Series was established in 1949.
Nicaragua is entering the seven-team field as one of the three invitees of the 2024 Caribbean Series with Panama and Curacao. The winner of the 2024 ProBeis league in Panama will be representing the nation during the 2024 Caribbean Series. Curacao will have the Curacao Suns as their club team from the 2023 Curacao Professional Baseball League in its first year of operation this past December to represent the island during the 2024 Caribbean Series. The Federashon Di Beisbol Di Korsou operates the Curacao Professional Baseball League.
All of the 2024 Caribbean Series games will be televised on ESPN Deportes.
Nicaragua will have the day off on February 3 during the seven-team tournament.
2024 Nicaragua Caribbean Series Schedule
All games are at loanDepot Park
Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024
10:30 a.m. EST – Nicaragua vs. Puerto Rico
Friday, Feb. 2, 2024
3:30 p.m. EST – Dominican Republic vs. Nicaragua
Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024
10:30 a.m. EST – Panama vs. Nicaragua
Monday, Feb. 5, 2024
10:30 a.m. EST – Nicaragua vs. Curacao
Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024
10:30 a.m. EST – Mexico vs. Nicaragua
Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024
8:30 p.m. EST – Nicaragua vs. Venezuela
Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024
3 p.m. EST – Semifinal 1
8 p.m. EST – Semifinal 2
Friday, Feb. 9, 2024
3 p.m. EST – Third Place Game
8 p.m. EST – Championship Game
Nicaragua 2024 Caribbean Series Preselection Roster
Pitchers
Bryan Herrera
Carlos Teller
Ernesto Glasgon
Euclides Leyer
Fidencio Flores
Jesus Linarez
Jesus Garrido
Joaquin Acuna
Yeris Gonzalez
Junior Tellez
Leonardo Crawford
Luis Ramirez
Oliver Espinoza
Osman Gutierrez
Pedro Torres
Ronald Medrano
Samuel Adames
Stiven Cruz
Yoanner Negrin
Catcher
Melvin Novoa
Raudy Read
Rodolfo Bone
Infielders
Alay Lago
Benjamin Alegria
Brandon Leyton
Cheslor Cuthbert
Elian Miranda
Freddvil Chevez
Jesus Lopez
Jose Orozco
Outfielders
Francisco Peguero
Jairus Richards
Juan Diego Montes
Luis Montealto
Norlando Valle
Omar Mendoza