Team Puerto Rico has put together a formidable coaching staff for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, drawing on revered figures from the island's baseball history. Led by general manager Carlos Beltrán and manager Yadier Molina, the staff includes Hall of Famers and former stars to guide a young roster. The team is set to play pool games in San Juan starting Friday, generating excitement despite absences of key players.
The 2026 World Baseball Classic brings Team Puerto Rico back to Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan for pool play, where local fans anticipate a passionate display. An exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida, on Tuesday night showcased the squad's energy, with vuvuzelas creating a lively atmosphere reminiscent of home games.
General manager Carlos Beltrán emphasized the significance of representing Puerto Rico. “Man, we take it seriously,” Beltrán said. “We don't have this opportunity to wear PR on our chest or PR on our heads that often. When we get this opportunity, we try to show up for our fans. Puerto Rico is a small island in the Caribbean. For years, we have proved that baseball is a religion on our island. We love baseball. We breathe baseball. And the fact that we're playing at home, we're going to make a lot of fans proud during the series in Puerto Rico.”
The roster faces challenges with absences of Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa, Javy Báez, and Jose Berríos due to various reasons, but support has rallied around the current group. Nolan Arenado, an eight-time All-Star who previously played for Team USA, now suits up for Puerto Rico and contributed an RBI single in the exhibition's first inning. “Just seeing all the fans, even here for an exhibition game, it’s crazy,” Arenado said. “Just the passion of the players, even having dinner with all the guys, you can see how much it means to them. So all you can do is give it your all. There's no other way.”
Beltrán intentionally built a coaching staff rich in experience to mentor younger players. It features hitting coaches Edgar Martinez and Juan Gonzalez, first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr., third base coach Joey Cora, and advisor Carlos Delgado. “One of the things that I told the younger guys is I tried to put together a coaching staff that has a lot of wisdom and knowledge about the game of baseball,” Beltrán explained. “I told the younger guys to try to take advantage of that opportunity. They should try to gain something out of that and add it to their game so they can continue to move forward.”
Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who led Puerto Rico to the 2017 final, expressed mixed feelings about the absences but noted the team's enthusiasm, including players bleaching their hair. His mother, Iris Amora, plans to attend the San Juan games after Cora's persuasion. Beltrán highlighted the opportunity for young talent: “At the end of the day, we feel that we have a good, young team with talent... This opportunity to represent your country and to play back in Puerto Rico, it will allow some of the younger guys here to have an experience they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.”
