Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League

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Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League
SportBaseball
Founded1956 (original incarnation)
2025 (modern entity)
CommissionerCristhian Jiménez
No. of teams5
CountryNicaragua
Most recent
champions
Leones de León
(9th title)
Most titlesIndios del Bóer
(9 titles)
Websitelaprofesionalapbn.com.ni
Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League team locations

The Nicaraguan Professional Baseball Association (Spanish: Asociación Profesional de Béisbol Nicaragüense or APBN), also known as the Campeonato Claro for sponsorship purposes, is the highest level of professional baseball in Nicaragua.

Professional baseball in the country began in 1956 and ran until 1967. For much of the late 20th century, professional baseball was supplanted by the amateur Germán Pomares Championship, until the reestablishment of the Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League (Spanish: Liga de Béisbol Profesional Nacional or LBPN) in 2004.[1] Since then, Bóer has led the league in championships with six, their most recent victory coming in the 2022–23 season. In 2025, the LBPN was dissolved by the Nicaraguan government and replaced by the APBN.[2]

History

Before the formation of the professional league, Nicaraguan baseball had long been played at the amateur level. However, the first club to sign a player to a professional baseball was San Fernando, signing several Cuban players for the 1955. The following year, the entire league embraced professionalism.[3] The Nicaraguan professional league was formed in 1956, with five teams: Indios del Bóer, Cinco Estrellas, San Fernando, León, and Flor de Caña.[4] Inaugurated on March 30, 1956 at the Estadio Nacional Anastasio Somoza (the site of the modern Estadio Nacional Soberanía), the first game was between San Fernando and Bóer. The first season was suspended in September 1956 due to the assassination of Anastasio Somoza García, but the tournament resumed in March 1957.[5][6][7][8]

The league initially operated on a summer schedule, but was converted to a winter league when it agreed to join organized baseball in 1957. This agreement was facilitated by President Luis Somoza Debayle as part of a resolution between the Nicaraguan league and organized baseball, which accused the league of "raiding" players from Mexican League clubs.[9][10]

The Nicaraguan public's excitement for baseball grew as foreign professional teams and foreign players came to play in their country's winter league circuit. The teams from Bóer and León were the most successful teams in those years with three championships each. Due to economic difficulties, the league had to shut down in 1967, though baseball continued to be played in an amateur format.

Professional baseball was re-established in Nicaragua in 2004 with four teams: Indios de Bóer, Leones de León, Fieras del San Fernando, and Tigres de Chinandega.[11] The Gigantes de Rivas were established in 2013.[12] Oriental de Granada also joined in 2013, but folded in 2017 and was replaced by a returning incarnation of the Leones.[13][14] In 2020, the league added Tren del Norte as its fifth franchise.[15]

On August 14, 2025, the National Police of Nicaragua raided the LBPN offices after reports that the league's president, Pancasán Arce, had fled the country; Arce's father, FSLN minister Bayardo Arce, had been arrested by the Nicaraguan government two weeks earlier. On [16] On September 8, 2025, the Ministry of the Interior announced it would dissolve the LBPN and replace it with a new entity, the Nicaraguan Professional Baseball Association to be led by Commissioner Cristhian Jimenez, a loyalist of the Ortega-Murillo regime.[2][17] The same five teams would remain in the new league, with the addition of a sixth team, Dantos de Managua, for the 2026–27 season.[18]

Current teams

TeamCityStadiumCapacityFoundedJoined
Indios del BóerManaguaEstadio Nacional Soberanía15,00019051956
Tigres de ChinandegaChinandegaEstadio Efraín Tijerino8,00019722004
Gigantes de RivasRivasEstadio Yamil Ríos Ugarte7,0002013
Leones de LeónLeónEstadio Rigoberto López Pérez7,20019451956
Tren del NorteEstelíEstadio Rufo Marín1,2002020
Dantos de ManaguaManaguaEstadio Nacional Soberanía15,00019812026

Defunct teams

Defunct stadiums

Champions

Key
† Champions also won the Latin American Series that season
† Champions also won the Interamerican Series that season
SeasonChampionFinal
Series		Runners upManager
1956Season suspended due to the assassination of Anastasio Somoza García
1957Leones de LeónTony Castaño
1957–58Leones de León (2)4–2Cinco EstrellasWilfredo Calviño
1958–59Oriental4–3Indios del BóerRoberto Fernandez Tapanes
1959–60Leones de León (3)4–1Cinco EstrellasJulio Moreno
1960–61Season canceled due to extreme weather[19]
1961–62Cigarilleros del Marlboro[a]4–2Indios del BóerStanford Graham
1962–63Indios del Bóer2–1Leones de LeónTony Castaño
1963–64Cinco Estrellas †4–2OrientalWilfredo Calviño
1964–65Indios del Bóer (2)4–2Round robin[b]Calvin Byron
1965–66Indios del Bóer (3)4–1Leones de LeónCalvin Byron
1966–67Cinco Estrellas (2)4–3Indios del BóerJulio Moreno
No professional baseball from 1967 to 2004
2004–05Leones de León (4)4–3Tigres de ChinandegaNoel Areas
2005–06Tigres de Chinandega4–2Fieras de San FernandoJorge Fuentes
2006–07Indios del Bóer (4)4–0Leones de LeónNoel Areas
2007–08Indios del Bóer (5)4–2Fieras de San FernandoLourdes Gourriel
2008–09Season suspended
2009–10Leones de León (5)4–1Oriental de GranadaRoger Guillén
2010–11Indios del Bóer (6)4–1Tigres de ChinandegaNoel Areas
2011–12Indios del Bóer (7)4–2Tigres de ChinandegaJulio César Sanchez
2012–13Tigres de Chinandega (2)4–2Oriental de GranadaGermán Mesa
2013–14Gigantes de Rivas4–1Indios del BóerManny Collado
2014–15Indios del Bóer (8)4–2Gigantes de RivasJavier Colina
2015–16Gigantes de Rivas (2) †4–3Oriental de GranadaGermán Mesa
2016–17Tigres de Chinandega (3) †4–1Gigantes de RivasLen Picota
2017–18Tigres de Chinandega (4) †4–1Gigantes de RivasLen Picota
2018–19Leones de León (6) †4–1Tigres de ChinandegaSandor Guido
2019–20Leones de León (7)4–1Tigres de ChinandegaSandor Guido
2020–21Gigantes de Rivas (2)4–2Tigres de ChinandegaJoel Fuentes
2021–22Leones de León (8)4–3Gigantes de RivasSandor Guido
2022–23Indios del Bóer (9)4–2Gigantes de RivasJoel Fuentes
2023–24Gigantes de Rivas (3)4–2Tren del NorteGermán Mesa
2024–25Leones de León (9)4–3Tren del NorteSandor Guido
2025–26Leones de León (10)4–3Gigantes de RivasSandor Guido

Championships by team

RankTeamWinsYears
1 Leones de León 10 1957, 1957–58, 1959–60, 2004–05, 2009–10, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2024-25, 2025-26
2 Indios del Bóer 9 1962–63, 1964–65, 1965–66, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2022–23
3 Tigres de Chinandega 4 2005–06, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18
4 Gigantes de Rivas 3 2013–14, 2020–21, 2023–24
5 Cinco Estrellas 2 1963–64, 1966–67
6 Oriental 1 1958–59
Cigarilleros del Marlboro[a] 1961–62

International competition

From its inception, the Nicaraguan professional league sought to participate in international club competition. It hosted a tournament billed as the Serie Panamericana, or Pan-American Series, in 1958, inviting the champions of the Colombian and Mexican Pacific Leagues.[21] This tournament, won by Leones de León, was a success; Nicaraguan organizers hoped it would allow them to join the Caribbean Series, but such an invitation was not forthcoming.[22]

The LBPN did participate in the Interamerican Series three times[a] in the 1960s, while the Caribbean Series was suspended. It hosted the 1964 edition, which was won by Cinco Estrellas.

Nicaragua was an inaugural member of the Latin American Series, winning the tournament four times in the 2010s.

The LBPN would not participate in the Caribbean Series until 2024, when it was invited to participate in the tournament in Miami.[23] Their entry was controversial, because it was alleged that the regime of Daniel Ortega offered $1 million to the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation to secure the participation in the tournament.[24][25]

Interamerican Series champions

Season Winner
1964Cinco Estrellas

Latin American Series champions

Season Winner
2016Gigantes de Rivas
2017Tigres de Chinandega
2018Tigres de Chinandega
2019Leones de León

Individual leaders by year

Hitting

Season Player Team Player Team Player Team
Batting averageHome RunsRBI
2004–05Adolfo MatamorosChinandega.378Luis IglesiasChinandega4Marlon AbeaSan Fernando33
Marlon AbeaSan Fernando4
2005–06Bárbaro CañizaresBóer.352Michel AbreuBóer14Wilson BatistaChinandega42
2006–07Justo RivasLeón.377Clyde WilliamsBóer16Clyde WilliamsBóer40
2007–08Ofilio CastroSan Fernando.351Luke GorsettChinandega6Danilo SoteloSan Fernando32
Jimmy HurtsSan Fernando6
Marcos SánchezSan Fernando6
2009–10Jimmy GonzálezGranada.363Lenín AragónBóer6Lenín AragónBóer38
Edgard LópezLeón38
2010–11José CampusanoBóer.363Brian NicholsLeón10Manuel MejíaBóer37
2011–12Renato MoralesGranada.387Esteban RamírezChinandega12Wuillians VasquezBóer51
2012–13Yurendell DeCasterChinandega.416Yurendell DeCasterChinandega13Yurendell DeCasterChinandega56
Ramón FloresChinandega13
2013–14Wuillians VasquezChinandega.351Ronald GarthGranada8Esteban RamírezChinandega35
2014–15Yurendell DeCasterRivas.368Rudy Van HeydoormRivas6Ramón FloresRivas38
2015–16Jonel PachecoChinandega.427Juan C. TorresGranada6Ronald GarthChinandega30
2016–17Wuillians VasquezRivas.407Wuillians VasquezRivas11Wuillians VasquezRivas55
2017–18Javier RoblesBóer.354Curt SmithChinandega6Elmer ReyesRivas34
2018–19Elmer ReyesBóer.360Juan SilverioBóer6Juan SilverioBóer19
2019–20Ofilio CastroLeón.409Alvaro GonzalezChinandega10Elian MirandaChinandega31
Alvaro GonzalezChinandega31
2020–21Ronald GarthLeón.400Cheslor CuthbertRivas9Héctor GómezTren41
Willy GarcíaTren9
2021–22Alay LargoTren.424Willy GarcíaTren11Alay LargoTren45
2022–23Manuel GeraldoBóer.355Manuel GeraldoBóer7Manuel GeraldoBóer31
2023–24Omar MendozaChinandega.358Jesus LopezChinandega8Omar MendozaChinandega29
2024–25Sabriel Polanco FernándezTren.369Ademar RifaelaBóer12Chase DawsonLeón37
2025–26Deivi MuñozTren.385Ademar RifaelaBóer10Ademar RifaelaBóer33

Pitching

Season Player Team Player Team Player Team
ERAWin–loss recordStrikeouts
2004–05Julio RaudezSan Fernando1.46Julio RaudezSan Fernando10–3Miguel PérezLeón99
2005–06Wilton LópezLeón1.34Julio RaudezChinandega10–0Devern HansackLeón89
2006–07José Luis SáenzSan Fernando1.96Wilton LópezLeón8–2Willy LebrónSan Fernando/León89
2007–08Wilton LópezLeón1.45Diego SandinoSan Fernando10–0Juan FigueroaBóer60
2009–10Wilfredo AmadorLeón1.95Wilder RayoLeón7–2Melvin CuevasGranada57
2010–11Carlos EstrellaGranada1.19Rodney RodríguezGranada8–5Rodney RodríguezGranada93
2011–12Eric BlackwellLeón2.75Wilder RayoLeón8–3Juan FigueroaGranada74
2012–13Wilder RayoLeón2.06Juan FigueroaGranada7–1Juan FigueroaGranada79
2013–14Carlos EstrellaRivas1.62Carlos TéllerBóer7–0Santos HernandezGranada71
2014–15Rodney RodríguezBóer2.29Paul EstradaChinandega8–1Rodney RodríguezBóer58
2015–16Austin DavisBóer1.12Roger LuqueGranada5–2Paul EstradaRivas52
Abraham ElviraChinandega52
2016–17Gustavo MartínezGranada1.95José RosarioRivas7–1Frankie de la CruzGranada58
2017–18Jorge BucardoBóer1.56Manauris BaezBóer5–0Paul EstradaBóer49
2018–19Luis Angel MateoLeón3.29Jorge BucardoLeón3–0Luis Angel MateoLeón35
2019–20Isaac SilvaLeón2.59Carlos SanoChinandega4–0Carlos SanoChinandega37
2020–21Leónardo CrawfordRivas2.65Willy ParedesLeón6-1Alexander SantanaChinandega47
2021–22Bryan TorresRivas0.81Ronald MedranoRivas5-0Pedro FernándezChinandega71
2022–23Edgard MartinezTren2.22Yeudy GarcíaBóer5-0Ronald MedranoRivas57
2023–24Yeris GonzalezChinandega1.69Luis RamirezTren6-2Yoanner NegrínLeón42
2024–25Ismael Cabrera TaverasLeón1.11Bryan TorresLeón7-0Luis E PeñaLeón57
2025–26Tiago da SilvaRivas0.98Tiago da SilvaRivas8-0Tiago da SilvaRivas51

See also

Notes

  1. The Nicaraguan league merged with the Panamanian Professional Baseball League for the 1961–62 season. That year, the champion was Marlboro, a Panama-based team.
  2. The 1964–65 playoffs were held in a round-robin format, as all four clubs finished the regular season with an identical record. Leon and Cinco Estrellas both tied for second, going 3–3 in the round-robin playoffs[20]

References

  1. Mayer, Braeden (2012). "Jugando con Bola Ensalivada: Una Historia Política del Béisbol Nicaragüense desde Somoza hasta Ortega" (in Spanish). p. 12. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  2. "Ortega and Murillo's latest strike: Nicaraguan regime dissolves Professional Baseball League". El Pais. 16 September 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  3. "Nicaraguan fans riding clouds over feats of American players". The Sporting News. 15 January 1958.
  4. "EL SABADO SE INICIA EN NICARAGUA EL CAMPEONATO PROFESIONAL DE BEISBOL" (in Spanish). La Prensa Libre. 1 March 1956. p. 5. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  5. "DECLARADO DESIERTO CAMPEONATO DE BEISBOL PROFESIONAL EN NICARAGUA" (in Spanish). Diario de Costa Rica. 30 September 1956. p. 15. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  6. "EL DOS DE MARZO SE INAUGURA EL CAMPEONATO PROFESIONAL DE BEISBOL NICARAGÜENSE" (in Spanish). La República. 27 February 1957. p. 19. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  7. "El Beisbol Profesional de Nicaragua". 1800beisbol.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  8. Layton Revel; Luis Munoz. "Forgotten Heroes: Silvio Garcia" (PDF). Center for Negro League Baseball Research: 22.
  9. "Peace Pact Putting Nicaragua in O.B." The Sporting News. 12 June 1957.
  10. "Relación de los Rasgos de personalidad y el bajo rendimiento en jugadores de béisbol de la Liga Juvenil en el Reparto Antenor Sandino de León, febrero-julio" (PDF) (in Spanish). p. 10. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  11. "Las otras sedes interesadas en tener un equipo en la Liga Profesional". La Prensa. 15 October 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  12. Hernández, Gerald (24 October 2013). "¿Gigantes de verdad?". La Prensa (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  13. "Granada a la batalla en la profesional de beisbol, con el Oriental: Alcaldesa entregó uniforme y lanzo el reto de la Victoria a la poderosa batería granadina". La Verdad Nica. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  14. "Leones regresan a la Liga de Beisbol Profesional Nicaragüense". La Prensa. 23 August 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  15. "Tren del Norte prácticamente confirmado como quinto equipo de la Liga de Beisbol Profesional". La Prensa. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  16. "Policía toma la Liga de Béisbol Profesional y su presidente, hijo de Bayardo Arce, ¿se exilia?". 100% Noticias. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  17. "Dictadura asume control total del deporte tras adueñarse de la Liga de Beisbol Profesional". La Prensa. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  18. "Nicaragua's Professional Baseball League Rebrands, Season Opens With Finals Rematch". World Baseball Network. 4 November 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  19. "Floods, Weak Economy Chill Nicaraguan League Hopes". The Sporting News. 16 November 1960. p. 32.
  20. "Grant Jackson's No Hitter Helps Boer Grab Title". The Sporting News. 13 February 1965. p. 25.
  21. "Colombia, Mexico sending champs to Managua series". The Sporting News. February 12, 1958. p. 25. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  22. "Pan-American title captured by Nicaragua". The Sporting News. February 26, 1958. p. 26. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  23. Enrique Rojas (July 24, 2023). "¿Por qué Colombia se quedó fuera de Serie Caribe 2024?". ESPN Deportes (in Spanish).
  24. "Colombia no va a la Serie del Caribe por diferencias en pago" (in Spanish). Diario Libre. 25 April 2023.
  25. "El régimen garantiza un millón de dólares para que Nicaragua participe en Serie del Caribe 2024". Despacho 505. 24 April 2023.