After leading Puerto Rico to its first silver medal in the U-23 World Cup, Juan “Igor” González will face a new challenge in his career as a leader by assuming the reins of the National Team that will compete in the tournament Premier 12which starts on November 9.
The Premier 12 is an international baseball competition organized by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) that brings together the 12 best national teams, according to the men’s baseball world ranking.. Currently, Puerto Rico occupies eighth position in the ranking. This competition, held every four years, is considered one of the most prestigious events in international baseball, along with the World Classic.
“I like challenges, because that is what takes one to another level when they set their mind to it and have the desire. We have a young team, with veterans with experience in the Major Leagues, since this is an extremely strong tournament. The Premier 12 is the best international baseball tournament,” González said in an aside with First Hour after a conference of the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation, held at a car dealership on John F. Kennedy Avenue in San Juan.
The team that will represent Puerto Rico will be made up of 14 pitchers and 14 position players. Among them, there will be active players in the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (LBPRC), the Double A Superior Baseball League, Minor League Baseball (MiLB) and universities in the United States.
The list is headed by seven players with experience in the Majors: Vimael Machin, Juan Centeno, Yadiel Rivera, Dereck Rodriguez, Jonathan Bermúdez, Nicholas Padilla y Raymond Burgos.
Players from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) will also be present, such as John Montes (University of South Florida), Edgardo Villegas (University of Miami), Luis Rodríguez (Louisiana State University).
Likewise, nine minor league prospects are also part of the team: Carlos Cortés (New York Mets), Sabin Ceballos (San Francisco Giants), Javier Vaz (Kansas City Royals), Edrick Félix (Chicago White Sox) , Randal Díaz (Washington Nationals), Jaime Ferrer (Minnesota Twins), Jorge Benítez (Los Angeles Dodgers), Osvaldo Berríos (St. Louis Cardinals) and Ezequiel Pagán (Chicago Cubs).
“We have a young team with a lot of talent. We don’t have a team with a lot of power, but we have good pitching and good defense. “If you have a team with speed, you can create situations, which is important.”described the manager of the ninth.
Puerto Rico is part of Group A, along with the United States, Venezuela, the Netherlands, Panama and the host, Mexico. While Group B is made up of Japan, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Australia and the Dominican Republic.
The national team will travel on November 5, at 7:30 in the morning, to Guadalajara, Mexico. Upon arriving there, they will move to the city of Tepic, where they will play their first game against the Americans on November 9, at the Santa Teresita Stadium.
The best two from each group will advance to the super round, which will take place at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.
The first time that the Puerto Ricans participated in the Premier 12 was in 2015, an edition in which they finished in eighth position. In 2019, they competed again and finished tenth.
For this reason, the two-time American League MVP believes it would be a success to advance to the super round and travel to the Land of the Rising Sun.
“A success for me would be to pass that first round and go to Japan. “I believe in God and he takes me by the hand,” he confessed.
González will be accompanied on the coaching staff by bench coach, Alex Cintrón (current hitting coach of the Houston Astros); the third base coach, Eduardo Núñez; first base coach, Eddie González; the infield coordinator, Edgar Pérez; pitching coach Dicky González; and the bullpen coach, Juan Carlos Montero.
