Nicaragua, which clinched its place in the 2026 World Baseball Classic through WBC qualifying in February in Taipei City, is looking to bolster its roster with several top prospects.
The players of interest include shortstop Freddy Zamora; right-handers Carlos Rodríguez, Stiven Cruz, Melvin Hernández, Bryan Rivera, Fernando Pérez and Duque Hebbert; and left-hander Óscar Rayo, according to Nicaraguan journalist Fernando Rayo.
Zamora is among the most notable players Nicaragua hopes to have for the main tournament. He played a standout shortstop during qualifying. In his first full season at Triple-A, he hit .257/.353/.348 with four home runs and 46 RBIs for Nashville. His calling card is his defense, and if he reaches Major League Baseball it will be on the strength of his glove. He is expected to be Nicaragua’s starting shortstop.
Another key name is Carlos Rodríguez, who made his MLB debut in 2024 and saw brief action with the Brewers in 2025. He posted a 3.82 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings this season for Triple-A Nashville. He served as Nicaragua’s ace at the 2023 WBC and started the opener against Puerto Rico. He recently pitched in the Dominican Winter League with the Toros del Este, making four starts with a 3.18 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 17 innings.
Milwaukee prospect Melvin Hernández is another young pitcher Nicaragua hopes to add. The 19-year-old completed his first full season in Class A and was a Carolina League All-Star, emerging as one of the Brewers’ best-performing starting pitchers. In 121 2/3 innings in 2025, he recorded a 2.00 ERA with 97 strikeouts. Among qualified pitchers, he led the Carolina League in ERA, FIP, WHIP and walk rate. He won’t headline Nicaragua’s rotation yet but could earn a spot and may project as a future WBC ace.
Hebbert is also on Nicaragua’s radar. He was one of the breakout stories of the 2023 WBC after striking out Juan Soto, Julio Rodríguez and Rafael Devers in Nicaragua’s loss to the Dominican Republic, which earned him a contract with the Detroit Tigers. He made his Double-A debut in 2025, posting a 0.96 ERA with seven strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings for Erie. He is pitching winter ball in Nicaragua, where he has a 2.45 ERA in 7 1/3 innings. He is expected to be a key reliever.
Nicaragua will play in Pool D in Miami alongside the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Israel. Its primary goal is to finish in the top four to secure an automatic berth in the next WBC. Pool play begins March 6, with the top two teams advancing to face one of the top two teams from the Tokyo pool in the quarterfinals.
Photo: Nicaragua’s national team celebrates at Taipei Dome after securing a 6-0 victory over Chinese Taipei to qualify for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. (Photo: Selección Nacional de Béisbol de Nicaragua)
