LIDOM celebrates the 2026 Tano Martino Rookie Draft this Wednesday
The Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) is preparing for one of the most anticipated events of the winter calendar: the 2026 Tano Martino Rookie Draft. The event, designed to inject young talent into the circuit’s six franchises, will take place this Wednesday, September 9, at the Sambil Santo Domingo facilities.
The selection process, which will feature a total of 99 available prospects, will begin at 8:00 p.m. Fans will be able to follow all the event’s developments through the live broadcast on CDN Deportes and the official digital platform LIDOM TV on YouTube, as confirmed by the entity’s president, Dr. Vitelio Mejía Ortiz.
Dynamics and selection order
The six teams that make up the league—Tigres del Licey, Estrellas Orientales, Leones del Escogido, Gigantes del Cibao, Toros del Este, and Águilas Cibaeñas—will make their selections based on the ranking order obtained during the regular season of the past 2025-26 championship. This mechanism establishes that the team with the worst record begins the process, while the best-positioned team selects last.
However, the original order has undergone modifications due to various movements and transactions between the clubs:
- Los Gigantes del Cibao traded their fourth-round pick to the Leones del Escogido.
- The Toros del Este transferred their sixth-round selection to the Águilas Cibaeñas.
- The Leones del Escogido gave their ninth-round pick to the Águilas Cibaeñas.
The Draft is a fundamental tool for our organizations to continue strengthening their rosters with young prospects looking to shine in Dominican professional baseball.
Alofoke Deportes
The future of winter ball
For the 99 prospects awaiting their call, tonight represents a crucial milestone in their athletic careers. The 2026 Tano Martino Draft not only allows organizations to acquire valuable reserves from various leagues and levels of organized baseball, but it also reaffirms LIDOM’s commitment to the development of young national talent.
With this event, the teams seek to secure the necessary pieces to bolster their rosters and compete at the highest level in the upcoming seasons of Dominican winter baseball.
