SANTO DOMINGO. – Carlos Peña, general manager of the Leones del Escogido, expressed his satisfaction after the Re-entry Draft of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (LIDOM). Peña believes that the new incorporations will strengthen the team in its quest to revalidate the title. The Leones del Escogido added relievers Patrick Weigel and Jefry Yan, starting pitcher Radhamés Liz, outfielder Raimel Tapia, infielder Jorge Mateo, and catcher Michael de la Cruz to their roster.
Peña also highlighted Mateo’s return to the team.Weigel is a man who closes the door and is very aggressive in the zone. We love Yan’s energy, while Liz gives us stability as a power pitcher, with numbers that speak for themselves. Tapia is a tremendous hitter who makes a difference on any team.
Carlos Peña
During the regular season, Patrick Weigel stood out as one of the most effective relievers, with an ERA of 1.19, a WHIP of 0.66, 34 strikeouts in 30.1 innings, four saves, and a batting average against of .144. In his last 20 relief appearances, he allowed only one earned run in 28.2 innings (0.31 ERA). Jefry Yan, for his part, recorded an effectiveness of 3.13 in 23.0 innings, with 28 strikeouts, a WHIP of 0.96 and a batting average against of .169. Radhamés Liz had six appearances, with an effectiveness of 2.95 in 21.1 innings, 21 strikeouts and a batting average of .205 for the opponents. In terms of offense, Raimel Tapia led the league with 73 hits, being the third time a player has reached 70 or more hits in a 50-game season. His offensive line was .356/.398/.459, with two home runs, 24 RBIs, 12 doubles, and 30 runs scored. Jorge Mateo hit a home run, three doubles, drove in 10 runs, scored 15 and stole nine bases in 33 games. With the Estrellas Orientales he batted .298 in 15 games, with a .794 OPS. Receiver Michael de la Cruz participated in 28 games, hit five doubles and a triple, drove in nine runs, and recorded a .648 OPS. Defensively, he retired seven of 17 runners attempting to steal (41%). In his 10 seasons in LIDOM, he has caught 31% of runners. In the draft process, the Lions’ operations table was made up of José Miguel Bonetti, a member of the Board of Directors; Ángel “Aroboy” Santana, special assistant to the general manager; and José Gómez Frías, sports vice president. The Leones del Escogido will start the Round Robin on Saturday, December 27, at 5:00 in the afternoon, against the Águilas Cibaeñas at the Cibao Stadium.Mateo is a great player. When we made the change in the regular season, it was a managerial decision seeking to restructure the team. Now he returns home, and that talent cannot be overlooked. De la Cruz provides us with depth in the receiving position and has good experience.
Carlos Peña
