Dominican U15 National Team prepares intensely for the Baseball World Cup
The Dominican U15 baseball team is immersed in a crucial stage of its preparation, focused entirely on reaching its best level for the upcoming World Cup. The tournament, which will bring together the most outstanding prospects of the diamond, will take place from September 25 to October 4 in the cities of Mérida and Cancún, Mexico.
The national team, composed of 20 talented players, works under the technical direction of former Major League catcher, Welington Castillo. The coaching staff has structured exhaustive training sessions that cover physical strengthening, offensive refinement, defensive solidity, and the development of fundamental game strategies for international scenarios.
I feel very grateful to God for the opportunity and to the Federation for entrusting me with the responsibility of being the manager in this World Cup. All those boys want to play. They tell me: I want to play, I play in the infield, I play in the outfield, I play here or there. For a manager, it is good to have players who want to play. That motivates me and gives me more options to put them in the game.
Welington Castillo, manager of the U15 national team.
A rigorous selection process
The formation of this team was not a simple task; it is the result of an extensive period of observation and evaluation of prospects from various development programs nationwide. Academies such as MVP-Miguelón, Ozuna Factory, International Prospect League (I.P.L.), Jaime Ramos, Sandy Nin, Otro Nivel, Edwin Encarnación, El Niche, and José Burdiel Academy were key in the recruitment process.
The coaching staff thoroughly evaluated not only the technical skills on the field, but also the adaptability, discipline, and commitment of each athlete to wear the tricolor uniform with pride.
Major League experience at the service of young people
Welington Castillo considers his career at the highest level of professional baseball an invaluable asset for guiding these young players. The manager seeks to instill the mindset necessary to handle the pressure that comes with representing the Dominican Republic in an event of this magnitude.
As a former player, Castillo understands the emotions his pupils will experience when stepping onto the field, which allows him to offer comprehensive mentorship that transcends the merely technical.
Challenges in Group A
The road to the podium for the Dominican Republic will begin in Group A, where it will face high-caliber rivals such as Japan, Mexico, Cuba, Germany, and South Africa. The matches for this phase will take place at the Kukulcán Álamo park, in Mérida.
- Initial schedule: The debut will be against the Cuban national team, followed by matches against Mexico, Germany, South Africa, and Japan.
- Objective: To qualify among the top three in the group to advance to the Super Round.
Faced with this challenge, the manager called on all Dominican fans to provide their unconditional support through the various broadcast channels that will cover every incident of the championship, allowing the country to closely follow the performance of its baseball future.
