After reaching the World Baseball Classic for the first time in 2023, Nicaragua went 0-4 and was relegated to the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, partly thanks to losing a late lead to Israel during pool play. Nicaragua rebounded in the qualifiers, narrowly defeating South Africa and Spain with walk-off wins before dominating Chinese Taipei 6-0 to clinch its spot in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
With the hiring of manager Dusty Baker and commitments from New York Mets infielder Mark Vientos and former major league infielder Jeter Downs, Nicaragua enters the tournament with momentum and aspirations of challenging pool powers such as the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.
Players to watch
There is little doubt that Vientos is Nicaragua’s most important offensive player. Slated to start at third base, he chose to represent Nicaragua over Puerto Rico, giving the club a power threat it previously lacked. Vientos hit .233/.289/.413 with 17 home runs and 61 RBIs, a significant drop-off from his breakout 2024 season, when he batted .266/.322/.516 with 27 homers and 71 RBIs.
He elevated his performance in the 2024 postseason, hitting .327/.362/.636 with five home runs and 14 RBIs in 13 games. If that version of Vientos appears for Nicaragua, the lineup becomes far more dangerous.
Downs, born in San Andrés, Colombia, initially planned to represent Colombia before insurance issues derailed that opportunity. He is eligible for Nicaragua through his father, Jerry Downs, who was born there. Once considered a top-50 prospect, Downs appeared in just 20 major league games with Boston and Washington and had a minor league stint with the New York Yankees. After requesting his release in 2024, he signed with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan.
Downs posted a .733 OPS in 2025 with SoftBank’s top team. In the run-suppressing environment of Nippon Professional Baseball, that translated to a well-above-average mark, including a 120 wRC+. He is expected to start at second base and provide additional offensive production.
On the mound, right-hander Carlos Rodríguez is projected to serve as the staff ace. He has spent the past three seasons in Triple-A and logged 22 combined innings in the majors over the past two years with Milwaukee. In Triple-A, he posted a 3.82 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings. He finished strong in September, recording a 2.70 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings between Triple-A and the majors. He is likely to start against the Netherlands or Israel as Nicaragua seeks to secure a berth in the next WBC.
Veteran right-hander Erasmo Ramírez, currently a free agent, is expected to slot in as the No. 2 starter. He split time between Triple-A and the majors with Minnesota last season, working primarily as a reliever. In 11 innings with the Twins, he recorded a 2.45 ERA with five strikeouts. A veteran of 336 major league games, including 96 starts, Ramírez could draw the assignment against a powerful Dominican lineup on March 6 as Nicaragua looks to pull off an upset.
Nicaragua WBC schedule
- March 6: vs. Dominican Republic
- March 7: vs. Netherlands
- March 8: vs. Israel
- March 9: vs. Venezuela
Full roster
Pitchers:
Danilo Bermúdez (Gigantes de Rivas)
Kenword Burton (Indios del Bóer)
Stiven Cruz (Milwaukee Brewers)
Osman Gutiérrez (Gigantes de Rivas)
Duque Hebbert (Detroit Tigers)
Ronald Medrano (Rieleros de Aguascalientes)
Dilmer Mejía (Leones de León)
Ángel Obando (Gigantes de Rivas)
Erasmo Ramírez (Free Agent)
JC Ramírez (Gigantes de Rivas)
Óscar Rayo (Kansas City Royals)
Carlos Rodríguez (Milwaukee Brewers)
Carlos Teller (Tren del Norte)
Bryan Torres (Leones de León)
Catchers:
Melvin Novoa (Indios del Bóer)
Ronald Rivera (Tigres de Chinandega)
Infielders:
Benjamín Alegría (Leones de León)
Cheslor Cuthbert (Gigantes de Rivas)
Jeter Downs (Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks)
Brandon Leytón (Tigres de Chinandega)
José Orozco (Leones de León)
Elián Rayo (Indios del Bóer)
Emanuel Trujillo (Tigres de Chinandega)
Mark Vientos (New York Mets)
Freddy Zamora (Milwaukee Brewers)
Outfielders:
Chase Dawson (Leones de León)
Omar Mendoza (Tigres de Chinandega)
Juan Montes (Tren del Norte)
Ismael Munguia (Toronto Blue Jays)
Cristhian Sandoval (Gigantes de Rivas)
Photo: Nicaragua starting pitcher Ronald Medrano (36) aims a pitch during the first inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Israel, Sunday, March 12, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
