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Appearing for the first time on Caribbean baseball’s biggest stage, Nicaragua hopes to make a mark at the 2024 Caribbean Series at loanDepot Park in Miami.
Nicaragua has previously participated in two club tournaments: the Latin American Series, which operated from 2013-19, and the Serie Interamericana, which operated from 1961-65.
The Serie Interamericana was a club tournament from 1961 to 1965. The 1965 Serie Interamericana was the only time the series didn’t conclude with a championship game, which resulted in Aguilas Cibaenas winning that tournament due to their overall record. Nicaragua participated in the Latin American Series in 1963 and 1964.
In the 1962 Serie Interamericana, the Marlboro team was split by Nicaragua and Panama with players from both of their winter professional leagues. Nicaragua won in 1964 with the Tigres del Cinco Estrellas, and Oriental was another representative of Nicaragua in 1964 that participated the same year.
The 1963 Nicaragua team that participated in Serie Interamericana was the Indios del Boer and lost in the championship game to Chiriqui-Bocas of Panama.
Nicaragua’s team will be made up of players from all five teams in their Liga de Beisbol Profesional Nacional. Nicaragua scouted players who have played in the winter leagues during the 2023-24 season to join as reinforcements for the 2024 Caribbean Series roster.
The winner of the 2023-24 Liga de Béisbol Profesional Nacional regular season will not represent Nicaragua in the Caribbean Series.
Players who have played in the minor leagues with Major League Baseball organizations, players that have played in MLB, independent leagues in the United States and Canada, and professional free agents were on Nicaragua’s provisional roster for the 2024 Caribbean Series.
Luis Ramirez, Yoanner Negrin, Jesus Linarez, Samuel Adames, Euclides Leyer, Francisco Peguero, and Jarius Richards are foreign players listed on Nicaragua’s official roster for the Caribbean Series.
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 Nicaragua national team and are on the official roster for the 2024 Caribbean Series.
During the 2023-24 LBPN season, Negrin went 6-5 and posted a 3.41 ERA with the Leones de Leon in 14 starts, throwing 82 innings and allowing 75 hits, 18 doubles, three home runs, 34 earned runs 21 walks, 62 strikeouts and a 1.42 WHIP. Negrin could have an impact role for Nicaragua’s pitching staff and will be a player to watch during the 2024 Caribbean Series.
Nicaragua catcher Novoa played in 24 games during the 2023-24 season with the Indios del Boer. Novoa hit .267 in 86 at-bats recording 23 hits, two doubles, one home run, nine RBI, three walks, and nine strikeouts. Novoa will have to execute defensively also for the Nicaraguan pitching staff with having 155 chances, 130 putouts, 22 assists, three errors, throwing out 13 runners, not having a pass ball, and a .981 fielding percentage during the 2023-24 season.
Nemasio Porras is the president of FENIBA.
Marvin Benard will manage Nicaragua at the 2024 Caribbean Series.
Nicaragua will play against Puerto Rico in the first game at the 2024 Caribbean Series at 10:30 a.m. EST at loanDepot Park and will be televised on ESPN Deportes.
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, February 7, 2024
8:30 p.m. EST – Nicaragua vs. Venezuela
Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024
3 p.m. EST – Semifinal No. 1
8 p.m. EST – Semifinal No. 2
Friday, Feb. 9, 2024
3 p.m. EST – Third-place Game
8 p.m. EST – Championship Game