Nicaragua qualified for the 2026 World Baseball Classic on Sunday night at the Taipei Dome with their 6-0 shutout win over Chinese Taipei.
Going into the 2025 WBCQ, the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) had Chinese Taipei ranked at No. 2 and Nicaragua ranked at No. 16 in the World Rankings.
Manager Sandor Guido’s pitching staff, led by starter Dilmer Mejía and relievers Osman Gutiérrez, Leo Crawford, Jesús Garrido, Carlos Teller, and Bryan Torres, combined for nine scoreless innings, allowing six hits and five walks, while striking out five.
Mejía earned the win, throwing 3.1 innings while allowing four hits, two walks, and striking out two on 60 pitches, 36 for strikes.
Chinese Taipei committed two errors during their Sunday loss.
Chinese Taipei, managed by Hao-Jiu Tseng, will face No. 24 Spain in the final qualifier on February 25 at 6 a.m. EST at the Taipei Dome, with a WBC berth on the line.
Nicaragua wasted no time getting on the board as J.D. Montes reached base to lead off the game on a fielding error by Chinese Taipei shortstop Yu Chang.
Moments later, second baseman Brandon Leyton ripped an RBI double to center field, driving in Montes to give Nicaragua an early 1-0 lead.
Brandon Leyton gets things started for Team Nicaragua!#WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/AXGHEwKCU1
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) February 23, 2025
The next batter, center fielder Chase Dawson, lined an RBI single to left, scoring Leyton to extend Nicaragua’s lead to 2-0.
In the top of the sixth inning, Freddy Zamora lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Benjamin Alegria to score and make it 3-0.
Nicaragua did not add its final two runs until the top of the ninth, when Dawson stayed hot at the plate with a two-run line-drive double to right field, driving in Cristhian Sandoval and Montes to push the lead to 5-0.
Chase Dawson adds two more runs on for Team Nicaragua! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/0sdtlHvLqm
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) February 23, 2025
Shortly after, Elian Miranda ripped an RBI single to right field, scoring Dawson and capping off Nicaragua’s 6-0 rout of the Chinese Taipei pitching staff.
Torres entered the game with one out in the bottom of the ninth and got Chia-Wei Lin to fly out to Montes in left field for the final out, helping Nicaragua qualify for the 2026 World Baseball Classic and blank Chinese Taipei 6-0.
Celebration time 💥
Team Nicaragua is heading to the 2026 #WorldBaseballClassic! pic.twitter.com/1ivCC2ufqM
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) February 23, 2025
Hao-Jiu Tseng’s pitching staff combined for nine innings, allowing 12 hits, five earned runs, two walks, and recording nine strikeouts.
Chinese Taipei starter Shiang-Sheng Hsu struggled on Sunday, lasting just two innings while allowing four hits, one earned run, and striking out one.
During Sunday night’s loss, Chinese Taipei went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.
Nicaragua’s dominant pitching staff excelled at the Taipei Dome throughout the WBCQ, combining for 29 innings while allowing just two earned runs on 16 hits, issuing 17 walks, and striking out 27 batters.
Nicaragua made its first World Baseball Classic appearance in 2023, going 0-4 in Pool D at loanDepot Park in Miami with losses to Venezuela, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Israel (1-3).
The country secured its first WBC berth on October 5, 2022, with a victory over Brazil at Estadio Rod Carew in Panama City, Panama.
Nicaragua failed to qualify for the 2017 WBC, finishing 2-2 in Qualifier 2. The team defeated Germany twice but suffered two blowout losses to Mexico, including a 12-1 defeat in the final qualifier at El Nido de los Águilas in Mexicali, Baja California, on March 20, 2016.
In the first qualifying event for the 2013 WBC, Nicaragua went 0-2 in Qualifier 3 at Estadio Rod Carew, falling 8-1 to Colombia on November 16, 2012, and 6-2 to Panama on November 17, 2012.
Less than a month ago, Nicaragua competed in the 2025 Serie De Las Américas on home soil, using the tournament to help finalize its roster for the 2025 WBCQ, alongside players participating in the 2024-25 winter league season.
Looking ahead to the 2026 WBC, Nicaragua will need to carefully evaluate its roster, considering top talent from Major League Baseball, the Campeonato Germán Pomares Ordóñez spring-summer league, the 2025-26 Liga de Béisbol Profesional Nacional winter league season, the minor leagues in the United States, and other global professional leagues. Federación Nicaragüense de Béisbol Asociada president Nemesio Porras will look to assemble the best roster possible
All of the WBC Qualifiers games will be streamed on the official World Baseball Classic website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel through the final out of the second qualifier in Tucson, Ariz., on March 6.
2026 World Baseball Classic Information
The United States, Italy, Mexico, Great Britain, and a Qualifier nation will compete in Pool B at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas, from March 6-11.
Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama, and a Qualifier nation will play in Pool A at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from March 6-11.
Japan, Australia, South Korea, Czech Republic, and a Qualifier nation will compete in Pool C at the Tokyo Dome from March 5-10.
Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, Israel, and a Qualifier nation will play in Pool D at loanDepot Park in Miami from March 6-11.
The quarterfinals will begin on March 13 at Daikin Park, where the Pool A runner-up will face the Pool B winner. The following day, March 14, the Pool B runner-up will take on the Pool A winner at the same venue.
On the other side of the bracket, the quarterfinals will be held at loanDepot Park, with the Pool C runner-up facing the Pool D winner on March 13. The Pool D runner-up will then play the Pool C winner on March 14.
The semifinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic will take place at loanDepot Park on March 15 and March 16. The championship game will be played on March 17 at the same venue.
Nicaragua will find out in the coming months from WBCI and Major League Baseball where they will be placed in the first round of the 2026 tournament.
2025 WBC Qualifiers Schedule – Taipei Dome
All Game Start Times Are Listed Eastern Standard Time
Spain is in second place with their record at 2-1, while Chinese Taipei is 1-2 in third place in the first qualifier event.
February 25, 2025 – Qualifier Game
Spain vs. Chinese Taipei – 6 a.m. EST
The other 2025 WBC Qualifiers venue will be played at Veterans Memorial Stadium at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz. from March 2-6.
China, Brazil, Germany, and Colombia will play in the second 2025 WBC Qualifiers at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
2025 WBC Qualifiers Schedule – Veterans Memorial Stadium
All Game Start Times Are Listed Eastern Standard Time
March 2, 2025
China vs. Germany – 1 p.m. EST
Brazil vs. Colombia – 8 p.m. EST
March 3, 2025
Brazil vs. Germany – 1 p.m. EST
Colombia vs. China – 8 p.m. EST
March 4, 2025
China vs. Brazil – 1 p.m. EST
Germany vs. Colombia – 8 p.m. EST
March 6, 2025 – Qualifier Game
2nd Place Team vs. 3rd Place Team – 8 p.m. EST
