Winter league baseball is baseball contested in sports leagues during what is generally considered the baseball off-season.
Winter league baseball is baseball contested in sports leagues during what is generally considered the baseball off-season.
Annually, the highest level of professional baseball competition, Major League Baseball (MLB), begins with spring training and runs through completion of the World Series in the fall. Winter league baseball takes place in the months between the completion of the World Series and the start of the next season's spring training. As this spans winter in the Northern Hemisphere, winter baseball leagues are located in warm-weather areas such as Central America and the Caribbean, or, less commonly, in the Southern Hemisphere such as in Australia. In Australia, Baseball Victoria holds its own winter league between April and September.
Winter baseball provides an opportunity for prospects to build their skills or demonstrate their capabilities, [1] [2] or for established players to refine their skills or stay in shape. [3] [4] Many notable major-league players have played winter league baseball—during the 1954–55 winter season, the outfield of the Santurce Crabbers in Puerto Rico featured both Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente. [5] [6]
Notable professional baseball leagues operating as winter leagues include: [7]
Champions of leagues based in and around the Caribbean meet annually in the Caribbean Series, normally contested in February.
José Rafael Santiago Fuentes is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Listed at 6' 3" [1.90 m], 200 lb. [91 k], Santiago batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.
The Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League is a professional baseball winter league consisting of six teams spread across the Dominican Republic; it is the highest level of professional baseball played in the Dominican Republic. The league's players include many prospects that go on to play Major League Baseball in the United States while also signing many current MLB veterans. The champion of LIDOM advances to play in the yearly Caribbean Series.
The Puerto Rico national baseball team, also known as Team Rubio is the national baseball team of Puerto Rico. The men's senior team is currently ranked 13th in the world. Puerto Rico is the incumbent Pan American and Central American/Caribbean champion, as well as the World Baseball Classic runner-up. The team will compete against Israel, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Nicaragua in the 2023 World Baseball Classic in March 2023 in Miami, Florida.
Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (LBPRC) is the main professional baseball league in Puerto Rico; it is colloquially referred to as the Puerto Rican Winter League. Consisting of seven teams as of the 2020–21 season, the league's champion participates in the Caribbean Series.
The Leones de Ponce is a baseball team in the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (LBPRC). The organization is based in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The team plays at the Francisco Montaner Stadium. Contrary to popular belief, the name Leones comes from their team owner being photographed with a whip as if taming lions. At one time, the "legendary" team scored a continuous run of thirteen championships. The team's owner is Héctor “Tito” Gracia, and former baseball player with the Leones himself. The team's colors are red and black.
Francisco "Pancho" Coimbre Atiles, more commonly known as Pancho Coimbre, was a Puerto Rican professional baseball player. He was born in the municipality of Coamo and moved to Ponce early in his life. It was in Ponce where he would begin to actively participate in sports, both in sprinting and baseball. Coimbre played thirteen seasons in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League (LBPPR), with the Leones de Ponce. During this period the team won five league championships. He finished his career with an average of .337, and had an average of 2.2 strikeouts per season, this included four consecutive seasons from 1939 to 1942, without any strikeouts. Coimbre also won two LBPPR batting titles and the league's Most Valuable Player Award in 1943.
Damon Wayne Mashore is a former professional baseball player who played three seasons for the Oakland Athletics and Anaheim Angels of Major League Baseball. He is currently the first base coach for the Los Angeles Angels.
The Colombian Professional Baseball League, is a professional baseball league based in Colombia. It is a four-team winter league that plays during the Major League Baseball offseason. The league's champion takes part in the Caribbean Series.
Iván Maldonado Oquendo is a Puerto Rican-American baseball pitcher who is free agent.
Aaron Bates is an American retired professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox in 2009. He is currently one of the hitting coaches for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Josue Espada is a Puerto Rican professional baseball coach and former minor league player who is the current bench coach of the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Reymond Louis Fuentes is a Puerto Rican professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Kansas City Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Senadores de San Juan was a professional baseball team based in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Engel Manuel Beltré is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers in 2013.
Baseball is the most popular sport in Puerto Rico. In terms of spectators and active participants, it is the premier sport on the island.
Kennys Vargas Gautier, nicknamed "Gorilla", is a Puerto Rican professional baseball designated hitter and first baseman in the Cincinnati Reds organization. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins and for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Tyler Daschiel Herron was an American right-handed professional baseball pitcher.
The North American continent is the birthplace of several organized sports, such as basketball, charrería/rodeo, gridiron football, ice hockey, jaripeo/bull riding, lacrosse, ollamaliztl, mixed martial arts (MMA), racquetball, ultimate, and volleyball. The modern versions of baseball and softball, skateboarding, snowboarding, stock car racing, and surfing also developed in North America.
Tommy Romero is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Washington Nationals organization. He made his MLB debut in 2022 with the Tampa Bay Rays.