Tomateros de Culiacan (MEX) and Leones del Escogido (DOM) are emerging as serious contenders for their respective league titles. At the same time, a new leader, Bravos de Margarita, has emerged in Venezuela, bringing a fresh wave of excitement to the Caribbean Winter Leagues. With all the leagues now entering the bulk of their schedule, this past week was filled with action in all Leagues in the Caribbean.
Tomateros de Culiacan have continued their offensive onslaught in Mexico, leading their league with a 22-8 record and a four-game lead. They are currently leading the league in collective batting average (.276), on-base percentage (.368), slugging percentage (.424), OPS (.792), Home Runs (31), RBI (144), and doubles (53). This masterful offensive performance, led by MLB Veteran and Mexico’s WBC starting first baseman Joey Meneses, who currently leads the Mexican league with 6 HR and a slugging percentage of .596, has been remarkable. His teammate Esteban Quiroz has also contributed to Tomateros with 5 HRs and led the league with an OPS of 1.040. Dwight Smith Jr has also been an offensive contributor for Tomateros, registering a .952 OPS in the season. Although Tomateros has the edge on offense, their rivals, and Caribbean Series 2025 hosts, Aguilas de Mexicali, have dominated the collective pitching scene. Aguilas dominate the pitching scene in the Mexican league as a team, leading the league with 250 strikeouts, a .229 batting average against, and a 1.22 WHIP. This performance has allowed them to remain in a playoff spot in the standings. Defending champions Naranjeros de Hermosillo and Cañeros de Mochis round up the top of the standings in the Mexican League.
In the Dominican Republic, Leones del Escogido is off to one of their best starts in franchise history. The team, under the direction of rookie manager Albert Pujols, is 15-5 and currently leads the Dominican League by three games over Tigres del Licey. Although the lead seems comfortable for Leones now, Licey is currently leading the league in every pitching category, so their debuting manager is not resting comfortably on his team’s lead. Leones’ offense has been led by Jean Segura, who is hitting for a league-leading average of .371. Sandber Pimentel and Ramon Laureano have also contributed to Leones’ early success. Tigres del Licey has dominated the pitching landscape of the league, with Radhames Liz leading the way with a 0.50 ERA and a 0.72 WHIP in eighteen innings pitched over four starts. For LIDOM, the tremendous support from more than 30,000 spectators at Citi Field in New York for Licey and Aguilas Cibaeñas’ matchup was another week’s highlight.
In Puerto Rico, history was made, as Hector Santiago struck out nine batters in the first three innings of the game between champions Criollos de Caguas and Leones de Ponce, two of the most storied teams in Puerto Rican baseball. Santiago’s accomplishment of striking out nine batters in three innings, although not consecutively, is a significant milestone in Puerto Rico; a historic moment occurred when Hector Santiago struck out nine batters in the first three innings of a game between the champions Criollos de Caguas and the Leones de Ponce, two of the most renowned teams in Puerto Rican baseball. Santiago’s achievement of striking out nine batters, although not consecutively, marks a significant milestone in Puerto Rican baseball history. This feat ties the previous record set by Leroy «Satchel» Paige, who accomplished the same while playing for Guayama 85 years ago in 1939.
Meanwhile, the returning Senadores de San Juan had a solid start to the season, compiling a 3-1 record in their first week of competition. Jose Abreu, a former AL MVP, has been a standout player, hitting three home runs and driving in seven runs in Puerto Rican baseball history. This feat equals the previous record set by Leroy «Satchel» Paige, who achieved the same feat while playing for Guayama 85 years ago, in 1939. The returning Senadores de San Juan had a good first week of competition, having compiled a 3-1 record to begin the season. Jose Abreu, a former AL MVP who has hit three home runs and driven seven runs, has led them.
In the season’s first four games, the players’ collective efforts have propelled their team to an early first place in the standings. Johnny Olmstead has been instrumental during the league’s opening week, accumulating sixteen bases. Other key performers during this period include MLB veterans Emmanuel Rivera, Colorado Rockies prospects Benny Montgomery and Yanquiel Fernandez, and veteran Danny Ortiz, who achieved his 400th career hit this week in the Puerto Rico Winter League.
The first few weeks of the Venezuela league have been a rollercoaster for every team, as we have a different leader in the standings for the third straight week. Last week, the leader was the champions Tiburones de la Guaira. However, a new leader has emerged in Bravos de Margarita after a rough week. Bravos has depended on an 8-2 performance in the last ten games, which has propelled them to a 16-11 record and established them as the league’s leaders. This lead is anything but safe, as only 1.5 games separate the first four teams in the standings, so it is safe to say it is still anyone’s league to take. The Bravos are led offensively by Juan Santana, who has compiled a .361 batting average and a .906 OPS.
The champions of each league, along with the champion of the winter league in Japan, will square off at theThe champions from each league, along with the winter league champion from Japan, will compete in the 2025 Caribbean Series in Mexicali. This event promises to showcase the best of Caribbean and Latin American baseball. 2025 Caribbean Series in Mexicali, in what promises to be an unmatched show of Caribbean and Latin American baseball.
