Venezuela national baseball team

History

Venezuela debuted in international competition at the 1938 Central American and Caribbean Games in Panama City, finishing sixth. The country first participated in what was then the top level of international baseball competition, the Amateur World Series (later to be known as the Baseball World Cup), in 1940.

Venezuela won its first international baseball title the following year, defeating defending champions Cuba at the 1941 Amateur World Series in Havana. The championship team, with illustrious names from the country's amateur circuits like Héctor Benítez, Daniel "Chino" Canónico, and José Antonio Casanova, was hailed as "Los Heroes del '41" ("Heroes of '41"). The victory of the 1941 AWS is cited as the catalyst for baseball's exploding popularity in Venezuela, Venezuelan President Isaías Medina Angarita declared October 22, the day of the championship game, a national holiday.

World Baseball Classic era

2009-23

Venezuela competed in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, playing its opening games in Pool C, in Toronto, Ontario. The Venezuelans secured advancement out of Pool C with a pair of resounding wins over Italy. Along the way, Venezuela also lost a 15–6 slugfest against the United States, but won twice against the same team.

In the 2013 World Baseball Classic, Venezuela was eliminated by Puerto Rico, who went on to eliminate Italy, the United States and two-time defending champion Japan. Their placing as the third team in Pool C after defeating newcomers Spain was sufficient to secure direct qualification to the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

The team competed against Team Israel, Team Puerto Rico, Team Dominican Republic, and Team Nicaragua in the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Miami, Florida, coming in first in the pool, but losing to the U.S. in the next round.

2026

Team Venezuela will compete against Team Israel, Team Netherlands, Team Dominican Republic, and Team Nicaragua in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. They will play from March 6-11, 2026, at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, in Pool D.

Houston Astros bench coach Omar López will manage Team Venezuela at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Current roster

(pitching) (third base) (hitting) (bench) (first base) (bullpen) (hitting)

Roster

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of professional baseball match results currently active in the latest version of the WBSC World Rankings, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled. ;Legend

2019

2022

2023

Tournament record

World Baseball Classic

In June 2005, Major League Baseball announced the formation of the World Baseball Classic, a sixteen nation international competition to be held in March 2006 for the first time. The team Venezuela sent to the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic included Venezuelan players from Major League Baseball. A player is eligible to participate on a WBC national team if:

• The player is a citizen of the nation the team represents.
• The player is qualified for citizenship or to hold a passport under the laws of a nation represented by a team, but has not been granted citizenship or been issued a passport, then the player may be made eligible by WBCI upon petition by the player or team.
• The player is a permanent legal resident of the nation or territory the team represents.
• The player was born in the nation or territory the team represents.
• The player has one parent who is, or if deceased was, a citizen of the nation the team represents.
• The player has one parent who was born in the nation or territory the team represents.

WBSC Premier12

Baseball World Cup (1938–2011)

Pan American Games

Bolivarian Games

Main article: Baseball at the Bolivarian Games

U-23 Baseball World Cup

Players

• 2006 World Baseball Classic
• 2009 World Baseball Classic
• 2013 World Baseball Classic

Uniform

References

References

1. Balbuena, Franger Reynaldo. (2020-09-09). "Tratado de Béisbol". Page Publishing, Inc.
2. "Clásico Mundial de Beisbol: ¿A quién se podría enfrentar Venezuela en cuartos de final?".
3. Zubillaga, Jorge. (2023-03-15). "▷ Selección venezolana de béisbol culmina invicta la fase de grupos al vencer 5-1 a Israel #15Mar".
4. "A guide to Venezuela's baseball tradition".
5. (March 29, 2021). "On the ball: 80 years of the heroes of 41 and 80 years of "Últimas Noticias".
6. "World Baseball Classic".
7. "Team Israel to boast current MLBers on its World Baseball Classic roster".
8. Talarini, Matt. (March 24, 2025). "Ian Kinsler Returns as Manager of Team Israel for 2026 World Baseball Classic". World Baseball Network.
9. "Houston Astros bench coach Omar López to manage Venezuela again in 2026 World Baseball Classic".
10. "Venezuela in the WBSC Ranking (Men's baseball)". [[World Baseball Softball Confederation]].
11. "Dan Serafini Wins One For Team Italy".