The Baseball Federation of Puerto Rico (FBPR) named former Major League Baseball All-Star Carlos Beltran the World Baseball Classic Team General Manager.
Born in 1977, Beltran played in the MLB from 1998 to 2017. He contributed to a World Series title in his final year with the Houston Astros. He participated in nine All-Star Games, winning three Gold Gloves and two Silver Slugger Awards. Beltran was the 1999 American League Rookie of the Year.
He represented Puerto Rico in the 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classic and contributed to silver medals in 2013 and 2017.
The general manager will be in charge of the players selection and will name the coaching staff.
"Beltran not only brings his massive experience as a Major League Player to the table," commented FBPR President José Quiles, "he also adds leadership and strategic knowledge."
FBPR also announced that Joey Solá, who served as General Manager in 2023, will become Operations Manager.
A former MLB scout with a 15-year career with the Houston Astros, Solá is the Sports Director for the Santurce Cangrejeros of the Puerto Rican Professional League.
"He already showed his efficiency," added Quiles. "He will be in charge of the logistiscs and serve as our liaison with MLB."
World No. Puerto Rico will host No. 16 Canada, No. 8 Cuba, No. 10 Panama, and the qualifying tournament winner at the Hiram Bithom Stadium in San Juan from March 6 to 11, 2026. Miami, Houston (USA), and Tokyo (Japan) will host the other three groups.
The qualifying tournaments are scheduled for 2025.
