The Nicaragua national baseball team (Spanish: Selección de béisbol de Nicaragua) is the national baseball team of Nicaragua. It represents Nicaragua in international baseball tournaments.

Nicaragua has a long history of international baseball, having made its first appearance at the second Baseball World Cup (then called the Amateur World Series) in 1939. It hosted the BWC/AWS five times and earned five second-place finishes, the last in 1990. It has participated in the Olympic Games twice, in 1984 and 1996. Nicaragua qualified for the World Baseball Classic for the first time in 2023, and also appeared at the tournament in 2026.

In regional competitions, Nicaragua has qualified for the Pan American Games five times, in 1983, 1995, 2007, 2015, and 2019. It is a regular competitor at the Central American and Caribbean Games, and has historically dominated the Central American Games.

History World Baseball Classic era (2013–present) 2012–19 Nicaragua first participated in the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualification, held in November 2012 at the Estadio Nacional de Panamá in Panama City. They were assigned to Qualifier 3 alongside Brazil, Colombia, and Panama. The tournament used a double-elimination format and the Nicaraguan team lost against Colombia 1–8 in their opening game and 2–6 to Panama in their second, resulting in their elimination. The Nicaraguan squad was managed by Dennis Martínez, the first Nicaraguan player to reach Major League Baseball.

The Nicaraguan team participated in the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualification, competing in Qualifier 2, in March 2016 at the Estadio B'Air in Mexicali, Mexico. Led by former San Francisco Giants outfielder Marvin Benard, Nicaragua shared the pool with host Mexico, the Czech Republic, and Germany. The qualifier followed a modified double-elimination tournament format. Nicaragua defeated Germany 5–4 in the preliminaries, but lost to Mexico 0–11 in the semifinals. The team had a chance to reach the qualifying game after defeating the Czech Republic 7–6 in the lower final; however, they lost again to Mexico 12–1, and did not secure a place in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

2020–24 The team failed to qualify for the 2020 Olympics at the eight-team Americas Qualifying Event held in Florida from 31 May through 5 June 2021. Nicaragua finished the first round with a 1–2 record, suffering defeats against the United States (1–7) and the Dominican Republic (3–13 in eight innings); their sole victory was against Puerto Rico 7–6 in extra innings. The team was managed by Marvin Benard.

Nicaragua qualified for the first time in their history to the 2023 World Baseball Classic. They participated in Pool B of the 2023 World Baseball Classic qualification, held from 30 September to 5 October in the Estadio Nacional de Panamá. The tournament used a double-elimination format again. The Nicaraguan team lost to Brazil 1–4 in their first game, defeated Pakistan 12–0 in seven innings in their second game, defeated Argentina 6–5 in their third game, and defeated Brazil 3–1 in their fourth game to secure a spot in the final tournament.

The team competed in the 2023 World Baseball Classic Pool D in 2023 in Miami, Florida, under manager Sandor Guido. They played against the Dominican Republic, Israel, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. Nicaragua finished last in the pool, losing all four of its games.

2025–present In February 2025, Nicaragua played in the 2026 World Baseball Classic qualification in Pool A in the Taipei Dome, against national baseball teams South Africa, Spain, and host Chinese Taipei. They finished the tournament undefeated, and secured a spot in the 2026 final tournament.

Team Nicaragua will compete against Team Israel, Team Dominican Republic, Team Venezuela, and Team Netherlands in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. They will play from March 6-11, 2026, at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, in Pool D. Three-time NL Manager of the Year Dusty Baker will manage Team Nicaragua.

Current 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

2022

2023

2025

2026

Tournament results World Baseball Classic Qualification recordYearRoundPosition 2006 Did not enter No qualifiers held 2009 2013 Did not qualify 0 2 3 14 2017 2 2 13 33 2023 Round 1 19th 0 4 4 22 3 1 22 10 2026 Round 118th04625 3 0 10 2TotalRound 12/6081047854859 OpponentTournaments metW-L recordLargest victoryLargest defeatCurrent streakScoreTournamentScoreTournament20–2–12–3United States 2026L220–2–5–0United States 2026L210–1–4–3United States 2026L110–1–9–1United States 2023L120–2–4–0United States 2026L2Overall20–8– Against L8– 12–3United States 2026 OpponentTournaments metW-L recordLargest victoryLargest defeatCurrent streakScoreTournamentScoreTournament11–06–5Panama 2023–W111–13–1Panama 20234–1Panama 2023W111–06–0Taiwan 2026–W110–1–8–1Panama 2013L111–07–6 (F/11)Mexico 2017–W111–05–4 (F/10)Mexico 2017–W110–2–11–0 (F/7)Mexico 2017L211–012–0 (F/7)Panama 2023–W110–1–6–2Panama 2013L111–02–1 (F/10)Taiwan 2026–W111–02–1 (F/10)Taiwan 2026–W1Overall48–5Against Against W612–0 (F/7) Panama 202311–0 (F/7) Mexico 2017

Olympic Games Summer Olympics record QualificationYearRoundPosition 1984 Preliminary 5th (tied) 1 2 11 29 1983 Pan American Games 1992 Did not qualify Did not qualify 1996 Bronze Match 4th 4 5 48 48 1995 Pan American Games 2000 Did not qualify Did not qualify 2004 2008 2020 2028 Total 1/5 4 5 48 48

The team tried but failed to qualify for the 2020 Olympics at the Americas Qualifying Event on May 31 through June 5, 2021.

Baseball World Cup YearResultPosition 1938 Did not enter IBF 1939 Single-table tournament 2nd 6 3 3 1940 Single-table tournament 2nd 12 9 3 1941 Single-table tournament 7th 8 2 6 1942 Did not enter 1943 1944 Single-table tournament 8th 7 1 6 FIBA 1945 Single-table tournament 4th 10 5 5 1947 Single-table tournament 3rd 8 6 2 1948 Single-table tournament 7th 7 1 6 1950 Single-table tournament 5th 11 7 4 1951 Single-table tournament 5th 10 6 4 1952 Single-table tournament 5th 11 6 5 1953 Single-table tournament 3rd 10 7 3 1961 Single-table tournament 9th 4 1 3 1965 Single-table tournament 6th 8 4 4 1969 Single-table tournament 5th 10 4 6 1970 Single-table tournament 7th 11 4 7 1971 Single-table tournament 3rd 9 6 3 1972 Single-table tournament 3rd 15 13 2 1973 Did not enter 1973 Single-table tournament 2nd 10 8 2 FEMBA 1974 Single-table tournament 2nd 8 7 1 1976 Single-table tournament 4th 10 7 3 AINBA 1978 Single-table tournament 5th 10 6 4 1980 Did not enter 1982 IBAF 1984 Single-table tournament 7th 13 5 8 1986 Did not enter 1988 First round 7th 13 5 6 1990 Finals 2nd 10 5 5 1994 Third place game 4th 10 7 3 1998 Third place game 3rd 10 7 3 2001 Group stage 9th 7 4 3 2003 Fifth place game 6th 9 5 4 2005 Fifth place game 6th 11 7 4 2007 Did not enter 2009 Second round 13th 10 5 5 2011 Group stage 14th 7 1 6 Total 5 Silver 30/39 — — — — — —

Pan American Games : 2nd : 2nd : 3rd : 3rd : Did not qualify

Intercontinental Cup

: 4th : 3rd : 4th : 4th : 6th : 7th : 7th : 3rd : 3rd : 4th : 3rd

Central American and Caribbean Games

: 2nd : 3rd : 3rd : 2nd : 2nd : 3rd : 2nd : 5th : 6th

Central American Games

: 1st : 1st : 2nd : 1st : 2nd : 1st : 1st : 2nd : 1st : 1st : 1st

Managers Manager Nat. Years active Competitions Ref. Ramón Méndez 1935–1944 1935 Central American and Caribbean Games — Runners-up1939 Amateur World Series — Runners-up1940 Amateur World Series — Runners-up1941 Amateur World Series — 7th place1944 Amateur World Series — 7th place Fernando Vicioso 1938 1938 Central American and Caribbean Games — Runners-up Ponciano Lombillo 1945–1950 1945 Amateur World Series — 4th place1950 Central American and Caribbean Games — 3rd place Juan Ealo 1947–1948 1947 Amateur World Series — 3rd place1948 Amateur World Series — resigned Anastasio Somoza 1948 1948 Amateur World Series — 7th place Andrew Espolita 1950 1950 Amateur World Series — 5th place1951 Pan American Games — 4th place1951 Amateur World Series — 5th place Carlos Navas 1952 1952 Amateur World Series — 5th place Francisco Davila 1953 1953 Amateur World Series — 3rd place Cheo Ramos 1954 1954 Central American and Caribbean Games — Runners-up Carlos Quiroz 1961 1961 Amateur World Series — 7th place Stanley Cayasso 1959–1969 1959 Pan American Games — 4th place1965 Amateur World Series — 6th place1969 Amateur World Series — 6th place Nicolas Bolaños 1970 1970 Amateur World Series — 7th place Heberto Portobanco 1971–1993 1971 Pan American Games — 8th place1971 Amateur World Series — 3rd place1978 Amateur World Series — 5th place1993 Intercontinental Cup — 4th place Argelio Córdoba 1972–1991 1972 Amateur World Series — 3rd place1973 Intercontinental Cup — 3rd place1973 FEMBA Amateur World Series — Runners-up1975 Intercontinental Cup — 3rd place1978 Central American and Caribbean Games — Runners-up1987 Pan American Games — 5th place1991 Intercontinental Cup — 3rd place1991 Pan American Games — withdrew Noel Areas 1974–2015 1974 FEMBA Amateur World Series — Runners-up1976 Amateur World Series — 4th place1977 Intercontinental Cup — 3rd place1977 Central American Games — Champions1982 Central American and Caribbean Games — 5th place1983 Pan American Games — 6th place1984 Summer Olympics1984 Amateur World Series — 7th place1986 Central American Games — Champions1986 Central American and Caribbean Games — 5th place1998 Baseball World Cup — 3rd place1998 Central American and Caribbean Games — Runners-up2003 Pan American Games — 4th place2003 Baseball World Cup — 6th place2013 Central American Games — Champions2014 Central American and Caribbean Games — Runners-up2015 Pan American Games — 6th place Iván Ulloa 1979 1979 Intercontinental Cup — 5th place César Jarqín 1985 1985 Intercontinental Cup — 7th place1985 Copa Simón Bolívar — 5th place Davis Hodgson 1987–2009 1987 Intercontinental Cup — 7th place1990 Central American Games — Runners-up2009 Baseball World Cup — 11th place2010 Central American Games — Runners-up2010 Central American and Caribbean Games — 3rd place Omar Cisneros 1988–2002 1988 Baseball World Cup — 7th place1990 Baseball World Cup — Runners-up1991 Pan American Games — 5th place2002 Central American and Caribbean Games — 4th place2006 Central American Games — Champions2006 Central American and Caribbean Games — 7th place2007 Pan American Games — 3rd place2008 Copa América — 2nd place Róger Acevedo 1979 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games — 4th place Ramiro Toruño 1994 1994 Central American Games — Champions1994 Baseball World Cup — 4th place Julio Sánchez 1995—2019 1995 Pan American Games — Runners-up1995 Pacific Ocean Games — Champions1995 Intercontinental Cup — 3rd place1996 Summer Olympics — 4th place2001 Baseball World Cup — 9th place2001 Central American Games — Champions2010 Intercontinental Cup — 7th place2017 Central American Games — Champions2018 Central American and Caribbean Games — 5th place2019 Pan American Games — withdrew Alex Torres 1997 1997 Intercontinental Cup — 5th place1997 Central American Games — Runners-up Dennis Martínez 1999–2011 1999 Pan American Games — 4th place2011 Baseball World Cup — 13th place Jorge Fuentes 2005 2005 Baseball World Cup — 6th place Marvin Benard 2016–2022 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifiers — did not qualify2023 World Baseball Classic qualifiers — qualified Sandor Guido 2019–2025 2019 Pan American Games — 3rd place2023 World Baseball Classic — Relegated to qualifiers2026 World Baseball Classic qualifiers — qualified Dusty Baker 2026 2026 World Baseball Classic — Relegated to qualifiers

See also List of Major League Baseball players from Nicaragua

Notes

References