Leones del Escogido begin their path toward a three-peat with intense practices
With the clear objective of maintaining their hegemony in winter baseball, the Leones del Escogido formally began their preseason training. The New York Yankees academy, located in Boca Chica, was the setting where 35 players gathered to begin preparation work for the upcoming season of the Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM).
The inaugural session was under the direction of strategist Ramón Santiago, who closely supervised the physical conditioning and field practices of a group composed of veterans, prospects, and invited players seeking a spot on the final roster of the two-time national champions.
Young talent and experience combine on the field
Among the figures that stood out in this first meeting were experienced and high-ranking arms such as Radhamés Liz, Dinelson Lamet, Víctor Santos, and Aneurys Zabala. Likewise, young talent made its presence felt with the inclusion of those recently selected in the 2026 Rookie Draft, infielder José Mejía and right-handed pitcher Mauricio Estrella, who are already beginning to integrate into the scarlet team’s philosophy of play.
The commitment of our players from day one is fundamental to building the success we seek this new season. We are focused on every detail to defend our crown.
Escogido coaching staff
Breakdown of the current template
The team’s structure at the start of training reflects a balanced mix to face the challenges of the league. The contingent of 35 players was distributed as follows:
- Position players (11): Capri Ortiz, Jimmy Paredes, Carlos Jiménez, Darlin Moquete, Randy Florentino, Dervy Ventura, Iván Castillo, Luis De los Santos, Alejandro Mejía, Modeifi Marte and José Mejía.
- Pitching staff (18): Wilkin Paredes, Augusto Calderón, Domingo Acevedo, Gabriel Ynoa, Yorlin Calderón, Brayan Castillo, Aneurys Zabala, Héctor Pérez, Juan Mercedes, Luis Flores, Cristofer Gómez, José Cabrera, Ángel Sánchez, Randy Berigüete, Radhamés Liz, Dinelson Lamet, Jojanse Torres and Mauricio Estrella.
- Invitees (6): Teófilo Méndez, Jarlin García, Nicolás De la Cruz, Samil De la Rosa, Tyrone Julie and Melvin Adón.
With this solid foundation of work, the Leones del Escogido begin their journey with their sights set on consolidating themselves once again as the kings of Dominican baseball, maintaining the disciplined focus that has characterized the organization in its years of recent glory.
