With over half the teams participating in this year’s WBSC Premier12 Tournament announcing their rosters, Venezuela is the latest to do so. Omar Lopez is set to manage the Venezuelan team. Here is who will be joining Lopez and his coaching staff this November:
PITCHERS:
- Anthony Vizcaya
- Yohander Mendez*
- Enderson Franco*
- Nivaldo Rodriguez*
- Max Castillo*
- Jose Alvarez*
- Alfredo Zarraga
- Oddainer Mosqueda
- Arnaldo Hernandez
- Jesus Vargas
- Mario Sanchez
- Williams Cuevas*
- Ricardo Pinto*
- Pedro Garcia
- Liarvis Breto
CATCHERS:
- Francisco Arcia*
- Carlos J. Perez*
- Carlos E. Perez*
INFIELDERS:
- David Rodriguez
- Alexei Amarista*
- Jermaine Palacios*
- Diego Castillo*
- Ehire Adrianza*
- Hernan Perez*
OUTFIELDERS:
- Angel Reyes
- Ramon Flores*
- Herlis Rodriguez
- Franklin Barreto*
*— denotes MLB experience
Venezuela’s roster is deep, with 19 players with MLB experience. Offensively, they will be led by Alexei Amarista, Hernan Perez, and Ehire Adrianza. Their veteran presence should be a huge factor for some of their younger players on the roster. The pitching will be intriguing, and Venezuela will look to Nivaldo Rodriguez, Yohander Mendez, and William Cuevas to anchor their rotation.
Amarista, 35, spent last season in Liga Mexicana de Béisbol (LMB) with the Tigres de Aragua. Amarista hit for a .361 average, blasting a career-high 15 home runs and driving in 57 RBIs. The former infielder spent seven seasons in the MLB, playing from 2011 to 2017 with the Angels, Padres, and Rockies organizations.
One pitcher who could lead the rotation for Venezuela is right-hander Nivaldo Rodriguez. The 27-year-old is in his first season in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) with the Fubon Guardians. In 26 starts, Rodriguez went 10-4, posting a 2.16 ERA, striking out 156 batters in 154 innings pitched. Rodriguez pitched with the Houston Astros organization from 2020-21, making nine appearances and posting a 4.50 ERA.
Venezuela’s quest for the Premier12 title will begin on the tournament’s opening night, November 9. They will face Mexico at Estadio Panamericano in Guadalajara, Mexico. The first pitch is set for 9 PM EST.
