Dominican Republic prepares its path to the U-18 World Cup with a luxury staff
The Dominican Republic baseball team has a clear mission: to secure one of the four qualifying spots in the U-18 pre-world championship. To achieve this goal, the national team has formed a top-tier technical structure, led by figures with a vast track record in Major League Baseball.
The team’s management falls to the experienced Mendy López Jr., who takes on the challenge with pride and determination. López, remembered for his outstanding career in Dominican winter baseball and his time in the MLB, has emphasized the importance of representing the country with the commitment that the national fanbase demands.
When they called me, I had no choice but to say yes. It is an opportunity that not many have, and I take it on with great pride. I have spoken almost every day with the players so that they know where we are, which is a country that is behind us, and we have to carry that weight.
Mendy López Jr., U-18 Team Manager
A coaching staff with Major League DNA
To guide the new prospects, the coaching staff combines tactical knowledge and field experience. The coaching staff is made up of illustrious names that promise to raise the team’s level of play:
- Wellington Castillo: Bench coach, brings his knowledge as a catcher with 10 seasons in Major League Baseball.
- Wilton Guerrero: Hitting coach, who makes his eight-year career in the best baseball in the world available.
- Samuel Deduno: Pitching coach, remembered for his stellar performance in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
- Amaury Telemaco: Pitching advisor, with a career of nine seasons in the MLB.
The team also has the support of Elvin del Rosario (third base), Jan Guerrero (first base), Wessin Hazael (strategy), Ramón Genao (coach), and Cesár Navarro (trainer), who complete a multidisciplinary team focused on the success of “Team RD”.
Road to China 2027
The Dominican Republic has been placed in Group A, where it will face the United States, Brazil, and Curaçao. The competition format requires finishing among the best in the initial phase to advance to the super round, where the four qualifiers for the category’s World Cup, to be held in China during September 2027, will be determined.
The management, led by Jesús Lantigua, together with José Cruz, Emmanuel Gómez, and Jonas Lantigua, is confident that this group of young players, under the tutelage of proven veterans, will succeed in achieving the goal of placing the tricolor flag on the World Cup stage.
