Santo Domingo – Bryan de la Cruz, outfielder for the Toros del Este, won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award of the 2025-2026 championship of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (LIDOM).
The choice, announced this Wednesday, was based on an exhaustive vote conducted by a jury of specialized communicators from the country.
Election Process
The announcement was made during the Palco LIDOM program. The league’s weighted voting system, which included the participation of 69 members of the sports press, determined the result. The tournament was dedicated to Don Juan Marichal and was played for the Banreservas Cup.
De la Cruz dominated the voting with 431 points, thanks to 57 first-place votes. In addition, he received six second-place votes, two third-place votes, and one fourth-place vote. He surpassed his teammate Gilberto Celestino, who accumulated 206 points, and Raymel Tapia, from the Estrellas Orientales, who obtained 149.
Other prominent players in the voting were Cristian Adames (Tigres del Licey), Ezequiel Durán and Aderlín Rodríguez (Águilas Cibaeñas), Ismael Munguía (Estrellas Orientales), Deyvison de los Santos (Gigantes del Cibao), and Erik González and Yamaico Navarro (Leones del Escogido).
The outfielder for the Toros del Este had an outstanding regular season. He was key in his team’s offense, which finished in second place in the standings with a 27-22 record.
In 44 games, De la Cruz recorded 188 plate appearances, with a .301 average. He connected 49 hits, including eight home runs, nine doubles, and one triple. He led the tournament in RBIs (40), scored 29 runs, and accumulated 84 total bases. His offensive line included an on-base percentage of .372, a slugging percentage of .515 (the best in the championship), and an OPS of .887.
This recognition is added to that of Aaron Sánchez, De la Cruz’s teammate, who was announced as Pitcher of the Year.
The Jury
The jury was composed of communicators from different regions of the country and abroad. It included journalists with no ties to the teams, members of press departments, Dominican reporters in the United States, and international communicators in the Dominican Republic, ensuring a balanced process.
