Panama Coaching Staff Announced Under Manager Jose Mayorga For 2026 WBC
Matt Tallarini - World Baseball Network | Apr 28th, 2025 4:40pm EDT
The Federación Panameña de Béisbol announced their coaching staff for the 2026 World Baseball Classic under manager Jose Mayorga on April 28.
José Mayorga is Panama’s manager for the 2026 World Baseball Classic
pic.twitter.com/OIEws4kETV
— Shawn Spradling (@Shawn_Spradling) April 28, 2025
The announcement was made on the FEDEBEIS YouTube channel.
Julio Mosquera will serve as bench coach, with Einar Diaz named hitting coach and Carlos Lee, a former Major Leaguer, joining as assistant hitting coach. Bruce Chen will handle the bullpen, Lino Diaz will coach third base, Raul Dominguez will coach first base, and Luis Caballero will act as quality control coach. Carlos Ruiz, a 2008 World Series champion, has been named an advisor.
FEDEBEIS officials have not yet announced a pitching coach due to the lack of an MLB coaching permit, according to a report from TMAXDeporte in Panama on April 28.
Panama will compete at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in Pool A from March 6-11, facing host nation Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, and Colombia.
Mayorga, born in Pueblo Nuevo, Panama, played in the Philadelphia Phillies minor league system from 2010 to 2015, reaching Double-A Reading. After his playing career, he served as bench coach for the Vancouver Canadians in 2018 and the Florida Complex League Blue Jays in 2022 before managing the FCL Blue Jays in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, he led the FCL Blue Jays to a 69-61 record, their best mark since 2019, before being named High-A Vancouver manager on February 13, 2025.
At the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Panama finished 2-2 in Pool A in Taichung, Taiwan, facing Cuba, Italy, host nation Chinese Taipei, and the Netherlands. Panama did not advance to the quarterfinals after a five-way tie, eliminated under the WBSC’s Total Quality Balance run differential rule.
Panama previously competed in the WBC in 2006 and 2009 before returning in 2023. The nation qualified for the 2023 WBC by winning the qualifier tournament at Estadio Rod Carew in Panama City in September 2022, defeating Argentina and Brazil to secure a berth.
At the 2024 Caribbean Series at loanDepot Park in Miami, Mayorga led the Federales de Chiriquí to a third-place finish, beating the Curacao Suns 5-4. Mayorga was named Manager of the All-Tournament Team after guiding the Federales to a 5-1 record in pool play.
Mayorga also managed Panama at the 2024 Premier12 tournament. The national team went 3-2 in Group A, tying for second place with the United States but failing to advance to the Super Round due to a head-to-head loss to the United States on November 12 at Coloso del Pacifico in Tepic, Mexico.
In international senior events, Panama’s most recent success was a fourth-place finish at the 2023 Pan American Games, where they lost the bronze medal game to Mexico 10-2. Panama’s only gold medals at major international senior events came at the 1997 and 2010 Central American Games.
Panama’s Scouting Outlook For 2026 WBC
Panama’s 2026 roster could feature many players returning from the 2023 WBC, including Jahdiel Santamaria, Jose Caballero, Erasmo Caballero, Christian Bethancourt, Allen Córdoba, Luis Castillo, Jhonny Santos, Joshwan Wright, Jonathan Araúz, Rubén Tejada, Jose Ramos, and Edgar Muñoz.
Potential new additions include Edmundo Sosa, Johan Camargo, Leo Jimenez, Ivan Herrera, Miguel Amaya, Rodrigo Orozco, Eduardo Tait, and Enrique Bradfield Jr., which could bolster Panama’s lineup.
Possible pitching returners and additions with starters and relievers that can be on Panama’s roster are Javy Guerra, Alberto Baldonado, Enrique Burgos, Miguel Gomez, Kevin Rodriguez, Bryan Caceras, Kevin Miranda, Dario Agrazal, Gilberto Chu, Harold Arauz, Severino Gonzalez, Davis Romero, Alberto Guerrero, Jaime Barría, Humberto Mejía, James Gonzalez, and Paolo Espino.
Several of these players participated in the 2024 Premier12 event and could be key pieces for FEDEBEIS in building the 2026 roster.
Under the leadership of FEDEBEIS president Jaime Raul Robinson Villanueva, Panama plans to scout players across professional leagues such as Nippon Professional Baseball, the Korean Baseball Organization, the Chinese Professional Baseball League, the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol, the 2025 Beisbol Mayor spring season, the 2025-26 Panama Probeis season, and other Caribbean and Australian winter leagues.
General manager Damaso Espino, who serves as an international scout for the St. Louis Cardinals, will play a crucial role in building a strong team for the 2026 WBC.
WBC Overview
Japan has won the most WBC championships with three in 2006, 2009, and 2023. The United States won in 2017 and the Dominican Republic won in 2013 and are the only other countries to win the WBC since the event started in 2006.
The WBC is sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation, the sports governing body alongside Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association and the WBCI, that partner in organizing the event during spring training.
The 2026 WBC pool matchups for all games are available here with the confirmed dates, and no game start times have yet been announced.
2026 World Baseball Classic Information
The United States, Italy, Mexico, Great Britain and Brazil will compete at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas from March 6-11 in Pool B.
Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama, and Colombia will compete in San Juan, Puerto Rico at Hiram Bithorn Stadium from March 6-11 in Pool A.
Japan, Australia, South Korea, Czech Republic, and Chinese Taipei will compete at the Tokyo Dome from March 5-10 in Pool C.
The Quarterfinals of the 2026 WBC will feature the Pool A runner-up facing the Pool B winner on March 13, while the Pool B runner-up will face the Pool A winner on March 14 at Daikin Park.
The other side of the Quarterfinals will be on March 13 with the Pool C runner-up playing the Pool D winner and the Pool D runner-up.
The 2026 WBC semifinals will be held on March 15 and 16 at loanDepot Park, with the championship game taking place on March 17.
WBSC Rankings Outline
Japan is ranked at No. 1 in the World Baseball Rankings and will play in their sixth WBC. Chinese Taipei hails at No. 2. and will play in their sixth event. Venezuela at No. 3 and will appear for the sixth time at the WBC. Mexico is at No. 4 and will play in their sixth WBC. The United States is at No. 5 and will appear for the sixth time in the WBC. South Korea is labeled at No. 6 and will play in their sixth WBC.
The Netherlands at No. 7 will play in the WBC for the sixth time. Panama at No. 8 will play at the event for the fourth time. Puerto Rico crawling in at No. 9 will appear for the sixth time. Cuba is at No. 10 and will appear in the sixth WBC. The Dominican Republic at No. 11 will play in their sixth event. Australia pipelines at No. 12 and will play for the sixth time at the WBC.
Colombia at No. 13 and will appear in their third WBC. Italy is at No. 14 and will play in their sixth event The Czech Republic at No. 15 will appear in their second WBC. Nicaragua is ranked at No. 16 and will appear in the WBC for the second-time.
Great Britain at No. 18 will play for the second time at the WBC. Israel is ranked at No. 19 and will play in their third WBC. Canada is at No. 22 and will play in their sixth event. Brazil is ranked at No. 23 and will play in their second WBC.
In the 2023 WBC, Nicaragua, Great Britain, and the Czech Republic played in their first event. Israel and Colombia have played in three consecutive WBC events dating back to 2017. Brazil is appearing in the WBC for the first time since 2013. Panama has played in the WBC previously in 2006, 2009 and 2023, prior to 2026.
China will not be participating for the first time in the WBC since they did not qualify in the second qualifier in Tucson, Ariz., while going 0-3. They have been in the WBC since 2006, in the event’s first year.
The teams that are playing in the 2026 WBC and are part of the WBSC Americas sector are the United States, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic. In the WBSC Europe sector, Italy, Israel, Great Britain, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands are participating in the 2026 event.
Japan, Chinese Taipei, and South Korea are in the WBSC Asia sector and Australia is in the WBSC Oceania sector.
All the other listed remaining countries have played in the WBC since its first year in 2006.
The WBC is sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation, the sports governing body alongside Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association and the WBCI, that partner in organizing the event during spring training.
If teams end up with the same record in pool play the Total Quality Balance run differential rule will be in effect for runs for and runs against alongside the head-to-head record.
2026 WBC Pool Matchups With Confirmed Dates
Pool A – Puerto Rico, Colombia, Panama, Canada & Cuba
Venue – Hiram Bithorn Stadium – San Juan, Puerto Rico
March 6
Game 1 – Cuba vs. Panama
Game 2 – Puerto Rico vs. Colombia
March 7
Game 3 – Colombia vs. Canada
Game 4 – Panama vs. Puerto Rico
March 8
Game 5 – Colombia vs. Cuba
Game 6 – Panama vs. Canada
March 9
Game 7 – Colombia vs. Panama
Game 8 – Cuba vs. Puerto Rico
March 10
Game 9 – Canada vs. Puerto Rico
March 11
Game 10 – Canada vs. Cuba
Pool B – United States, Mexico, Brazil, Great Britain & Italy
Venue – Daikin Park – Houston, Texas
March 6
Game 1 – Mexico vs. Great Britain
Game 2 – United States vs. Brazil
March 7
Game 3 – Brazil vs. Italy
Game 4 – Great Britain vs. United States
March 8
Game 5 – Great Britain vs. Italy
Game 6 – Brazil vs. Mexico
March 9
Game 7 – Brazil vs. Great Britain
Game 8 – Mexico vs. United States
March 10
Game 9 – Italy vs. United States
March 11
Game 10 – Italy vs. Mexico
Pool C – Japan, Chinese Taipei, Australia, South Korea & Czech Republic
Venue – Tokyo Dome – Tokyo, Japan
March 5
Game 1 – Chinese Taipei vs. Australia
Game 2 – Czechia vs. South Korea
March 6
Game 3 – Australia vs. Czechia
Game 4 – Japan vs. Chinese Taipei
March 7
Game 5 – Chinese Taipei vs. Czechia
Game 6 – South Korea vs. Japan
March 8
Game 7 – Chinese Taipei vs. South Korea
Game 8 – Australia vs. Japan
March 9
Game 9 – South Korea vs. Australia
March 10
Game 10 – Czechia vs. Japan
Pool D – Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Venezuela, Israel & Nicaragua
Venue – loanDepot Park – Miami, Fla.
March 6
Game 1 – Netherlands vs. Venezuela
Game 2 – Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic
March 7
Game 3 – Nicaragua vs. Netherlands
Game 4 – Israel vs. Venezuela
March 8
Game 5 – Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic
Game 6 – Nicaragua vs. Israel
March 9
Game 7 – Dominican Republic vs. Israel
Game 8 – Venezuela vs. Nicaragua
March 10
Game 9 – Israel vs. Netherlands
March 11
Game 10 – Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela
Category: Panama, WBC, WBSC, World Baseball Classic, World Baseball Network