Panama’s baseball federation on Tuesday announced a 32-man preliminary roster for the 2025 Copa América de Beisbol, which will take place from Nov. 12–22 in Caracas and La Guaira, Venezuela, and La Chorrera, Panama.
The roster features a mix of established professionals, prospects in Major League Baseball systems, and several returning players from Panama’s 2023 World Baseball Classic team and 2024 Premier12 roster.
Former MLB right-hander Jaime Barría is among the most notable names on the roster. The 29 year-old spent six seasons in MLB with the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians, making 134 appearances — including 62 starts — and posting a 4.38 ERA with 351 strikeouts in 462 2/3 innings.
After a brief stint in South Korea’s KBO League with the Hanwha Eagles in 2024, Barría found success that winter in the Dominican Republic’s LIDOM, where he recorded a 3.12 ERA. In 2025, he joined Unión Laguna of the Mexican League, finishing with a 4.80 ERA and 46 strikeouts across 84 1/3 innings in one of baseball’s most hitter-friendly circuits. He is expected to anchor Panama’s rotation during the Copa América.
Another arm to watch is James González, a left-hander in the Oakland Athletics organization who was also part of Panama’s 2023 WBC roster. González spent the 2025 season with Double-A Midland, where he went 4–6 with a 4.27 ERA and 83 strikeouts over 78 innings. He and Humberto Mejía are expected to compete for the No. 2 spot in the rotation.
On offense, Panama will rely on several MLB prospects, including José Ramos, an outfielder in the Los Angeles Dodgers system. Ramos, 24, is coming off his best professional season, flashing power and some inconsistency at Double-A Tulsa and posted a .688 OPS with 10 home runs. Ramos was promoted and responded with a .295/.359/.557 line and eight homers in 44 Triple-A games for Oklahoma City.
Ramos has become a cornerstone of Panama’s national team, having represented the country at the 2023 WBC qualifiers, the Classic itself, and the 2024 Premier12 tournament. He recorded an .853 OPS at the 2023 WBC and was one of two Panamanians to homer in the event. He is expected to start in center field during the Copa América.
Also featured is Leonardo Bernal, the No. 4 prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. The catcher adjusted to Double-A competition this season in his first full year at the level. He rebounded from a slow start with an .898 OPS in May and .946 OPS in June before cooling off late in the year. He finished the season hitting .247/.332/.394 with 13 home runs. The Copa América will serve as a key tune-up as Bernal looks to earn a spot on Panama’s 2026 WBC roster.
Veteran infielder Johan Camargo, who played parts of six seasons in the majors, adds experience to the infield. The 30-year-old appeared in 424 MLB games with Atlanta, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, hitting .254 with 37 home runs. In 2025, Camargo played in Mexico, posting an .812 OPS.
Panama will host Group B, which includes Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, and Puerto Rico. The top teams from the tournament will advance to future international competitions — with four earning spots at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and five qualifying for the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. The Copa América will also serve as part of the Olympic pre-qualification process.
In addition to the preliminary roster, the federation announced a list of players who could join the roster pending approval from their MLB/NPB or winter league clubs. That group includes righties Paolo Espino, Dario Agrazal, Javier Guerra, Enrique Saldaña, Jorge Garcia, Abdiel Saldaña, lefties Kenny Hernandez, Teidin Frias, and Alberto Baldonado, catchers Christian Bethancourt and Eduardo Tait, infielder Jonathan Arauz, and outfielders Allen Cordoba and Pedro Catuy.
Panama will finalize its 28-man roster following training camp and will open its Copa América schedule on Nov. 13 in La Chorrera.
Panama Copa America Preliminary roster
Pitchers
LHP James González
RHP Abdiel Mendoza
RHP Bryan Cáceres
RHP Humberto Mejía
LHP Andy Otero
RHP Miguel Gómez
RHP Alberto Guerrero
RHP Severino González
RHP Steven Fuentes
RHP Jaime Barría
RHP Kevin Miranda
RHP Kevin Rodríguez
RHP Wilfredo Pereira
RHP Harold Araúz
RHP Sadrac Franco
RHP Adriel González
Catchers
Leonardo Bernal
Adrián Sugastey
Mario Sanjur
Erasmo Caballero
Infielders
Carlos Quiroz
Ryan Burrowes
Joshwan Wright
Abraham Rodríguez
Jean Arnáez
Johan Camargo
Edgar Muñoz
Héctor Rayo
Outfielders
Jhonny Santos
Luis Castillo
José Murdock
José Ramos
Photo: Jose Mayorga will manage Panama at the 2025 Copa America de Beisbol in November. (AP Photo)
