Francisco Pena #27 of the Baltimore Orioles poses during photo day. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Two trades were made this past weekend in Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana, the Dominican Republic’s primary professional baseball league.
On Saturday, April 13, the Tigres del Licey acquired shortstop and second baseman Liover Peguero from the Gigantes del Cibao in exchange for center fielder Johan Rojas.
Peguero, 23, played 59 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 2023 Major League Baseball season, hitting .237 with seven home runs and 26 RBI. He began the 2024 minor league baseball season with the Pirates Triple-A affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians.
Peguero signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks as an international free agent in July 2017 and did not play for the Gigantes del Cibao during the 2023-24 LIDOM season, last playing nine games for the club during the 2022-23 winter campaign.
Rojas hit exceptionally well for the Philadelphia Phillies during his rookie season in 2023, batting .302 with 23 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 59 games. He played five games for the Tigres del Licey during the 2022-23 LIDOM season but could not record a hit in 11 plate appearances.
Rojas signed with the Phillies as an international free agent in January 2018 and impressed the club with his speed and defense, swiping 62 bases in 2022 between High-A Jersey Shore and Double-A Reading.
On Sunday, April 14, the Toros del Este acquired catcher Francisco Pena from the Aguilas Cibaenas in exchange for relief pitcher Wirfin Obispo and a selection in the next LIDOM draft.
Pena played 86 games in Major League Baseball from 2014-18 with the Kansas City Royals, Baltimore Orioles, and St. Louis Cardinals. He posted a poor .559 OPS in the MLB but succeeded in the Chinese Professional Baseball League with the CTBC Brothers, winning a Gold Glove in 2022 and hitting 11 home runs from 2022-23.
The 34-year-old played 28 games with the Aguilas Cibaenas this past LIDOM season and represented the Dominican Republic at the 2013 Caribbean Series, 2013 World Baseball Classic, and 2021 Caribbean Series. Pena currently plays for the Piratas de Campeche of Liga Mexicana de Beisbol.
Obispo, heading to the Aguilas Cibaenas, will turn 40 on September 26. He began his professional baseball career with the Boston Red Sox, signing with the club as an international free agent in January 2022.
He has played in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Yomiuri Giants and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and in Liga Mexicana de Besibol with the Sultanes de Monterrey, Pericos de Puebla, Acereros de Monclova, and the Olmecas de Tabasco.
Obispo has appeared in 838 games in his 19-year professional baseball career and posted a 7.71 ERA in eight games for the Toros del Este during the 2023-24 LIDOM season.