Licey Tigers Confirm Gilbert Gómez as Manager
The Tigres del Licey have announced the continuation of Gilbert Gómez as manager for the next autumn-winter baseball tournament. In addition, the return of Wellington Cepeda as assistant manager is confirmed.
Gómez, who will enter his sixth season with the blue organization, has held various roles, from quality control coach to manager. In the 2023-24 campaign, he led the team to the championship and two consecutive Finals Series.
With 31 years and 324 days, Gómez became the youngest champion manager in LIDOM history, surpassing the previous mark of Audo Vicente.
In addition, Gómez became the seventh Dominican leader to win a title in his debut season in the league.
During the break, the New York Mets designated him as first base and outfield coach for next season, solidifying his projection as a coach.
Gómez began his professional career after signing with the Mets in 2009 and was selected by Licey in the 2012 Rookie Draft. In 2017, at the age of 25, he retired as a player to dedicate himself to coaching.
In the development area, he was a hitting coach in the Rookie League in 2021. In 2022, he took over as bench coach in Class A with St. Lucie and a year later was promoted to manager. In 2025, he celebrated the championship as manager of the Brooklyn Cyclones (Advanced Class A), guiding the team to its first title in the South Atlantic League and third in its history. Under his leadership, the team recorded 72 wins in the regular season and finished the postseason with a perfect 4-0 record.
That same year he was selected as the leader of the “Breakout Game” of the MLB preseason. He also joined the coaching staff of the Dominican Republic national team that won the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, serving as a batting and third base coach.
For his part, Cepeda currently serves as a bullpen instructor for the Arizona Diamondbacks in Major League Baseball.
In the Dominican League, Cepeda has worked as a pitching instructor with the Estrellas Orientales, Gigantes del Cibao, Leones del Escogido, and Licey themselves. With the Gigantes, he also served as a manager, being recognized as Manager of the Year in the 2023-24 season.
With these moves, Licey is betting on continuity, experience, and technical stability for the next championship.
