Guadalajara becomes the epicenter of international baseball this Saturday, when the Premier 12 Tournament begins at the Pan American Stadium.
With a format that brings together the best exponents of world ball, the Mexican team, led by the experienced Benjamín Gil is emerging as one of the protagonists in his group and is strongly aiming for the gold medal.
Mexico arrives motivated by its outstanding performance in the 2023 World Classic, where it reached the semifinals, being just one step away from the final after losing to Japan.
This time, the Premier 12 represents a new opportunity for Gil’s team to show that Mexico has what it takes to be among the elite of world baseball.
“We do not come to participate, but to win the gold medal,” said Gil. to their players, making it clear that they not only seek to compete, but also leave their mark.
The tournament, dominated in previous editions by South Korea and Japan, is presented in 2024 as a competition of great parity, in which the participating teams have a combination of veterans and young talents that can define the game at any time.
What is Mexico’s group in Premier 12?
This year, Group A, based in Guadalajara, includes the United States, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, the Netherlands and Panama, all teams with the potential to go far.
For Mexico, the challenge begins against Venezuela, in a duel that promises to be a battle between pitchers of experience and explosive hitters.
Mexican pitcher Manny Bañuelos, with experience in the Major Leagues, will lead the rotation with the mission of stopping the Venezuelan offense. led by figures such as Hernán Pérez and Ramón Flores.
They have eliminated the United States twice in the World Classic and put Japan in trouble in the recent 2023 edition. This history of success has established Mexico as an emerging force in the international arena, and the Premier 12 could be its definitive consecration .
With the pressure of playing at home and the additional incentive that the tournament is a prelude to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, Mexico is ready to write a golden chapter in its baseball history.
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