By Conor Liguori
World Baseball Network
Puerto Rico has announced the roster for Indios de Mayaguez, who will represent the island at the 2023 Caribbean Series. The 28-man roster consists of 14 pitchers, four outfielders, seven infielders, and three catchers.
Indios de Mayaguez won the Liga Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente championship in seven games over Gigantes de Carolina to go to the Caribbean Series. Several reinforcements were added to the roster for Caribbean baseball’s biggest event.
Puerto Rico will play their first game of the tournament on Thursday, February 2 at 2 p.m. against Colombia at Estadio Forum La Guaira. They were last crowned champions of the tournament in 2018, and rank second amongst all previous participating countries with 16 championships behind the Dominican Republic, who has won the series 21 times.
Seven players are currently rostered within a MLB organization, with multiple others having spent time in the major leagues. Infielder Vimael Machin played 73 games with the Oakland Athletics in 2022, hittin .220 with one home run in 253 plate appearances. Third baseman Emmanuel Rivera split the 2022 season with the Kansas City Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks, hitting .233 with 12 home runs in 359 plate appearances. Pitcher Fernando Cabrera will play for Puerto Rico at age 41. He appeared in 132 games spanning across seven years with the Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red Sox.
Below is the full 28 man roster for team Puerto Rico.
Pitchers (Team)
Daryl Thompson – Indios de Mayaguez (LBPRC)
Ronnie Williams – Indios de Mayaguez (LBPRC)
Rob Whalen – Indios de Mayaguez (LBPRC))
Luis Leroy Cruz-Cangrejeros de Santurce (LBPRC)
Braden Webb – Indios de Mayaguez (LBPRC)
Fernando Cabrera – Ponce (LBPRC)
Ricardo Velez – Minnesota Twins (MiLB)
Danny Wirchansky – New York Boulders (Frontier League)
Jose Espada – Milwaukee Milkmen (American Association)
Ricardo Gomez – Criollos de Caguas (LBPRC)
Carlos Francisco – Indios de Mayaguez (LBPRC)
Nelvin Fuentes – Indios de Mayaguez (LBPRC)
Alex Sanabia – Cangrejeros de Santurce (LBPRC)
Hector Hernandez – Cangrejeros de Santurce (LBPRC)
Catchers
Brian Navarreto – Gigantes de Carolina (LBPRC)
Ruben Castro – RA12 (LBPRC)
Alan Marrero – Indios de Mayaguez (LBPRC)
Infielders
Vimael Machin – Philadelphia Phillies (MiLB)
Edwin Diaz – Boston Red Sox (MiLB)
Jeremy Rivera – Indios de Mayaguez (PRWL)
Jesmuel Valentin – Ponce (LBPRC)
Gabriel Cancel – Gigantes de Carolina (LBPRC)
Emmanuel Rivera – Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB)
Brett Rodriguez – Seattle Mariners (MiLB)
Outfielders
Danny Ortiz – Indios de Mayaguez (LBPRC)
Bryan Torres – Gigantes de Carolina (LBPRC)
Anthony Garcia – New York Yankees (MiLB)
Roberto Enriquez – Arizona Diamondbacks (MiLB)