The Colombian Professional Baseball League ( or LPB), is a professional baseball league based in Colombia. It is a five-team winter league that plays during the Major League Baseball offseason. In the past, the league's champion has taken part in the Caribbean Series, and currently qualifies to the Serie de las Américas.
History The history of Colombian professional baseball is commonly divided into three eras: from 1948 to 1958, from 1979 to 1988, and from 1993 to the present.
Professional baseball in Colombia has its origins in 1948, when two foreign teams — the Havana Sugar Kings of the Florida State League, and Chesterfield of the Panamanian League — played an exhibition series against the Colombian national team. Shortly thereafter, business interests in Cartagena created the country's two first professional teams: Torices of Cartagena and Indios of Cartagena. Indios would go on to be the league's most successful club in its early years, winning seven championships. The first era of Colombian professional baseball continued until the 1957–58 season, when a national currency devaluation forced it to cease operations. Attempts to organize a new league in 1958 failed to materialize, despite fan interest.
The professional league was revived in the late 1970s, and played host to some future major league stars including Cecil Fielder, Howard Johnson, and Jesse Barfield. However, Major League Baseball withdrew its support after the 1984 season, concerned about rising violence from the illegal drug trade in Colombia.
The Colombian league returned to operation in 1993 on a semi-pro basis, known as the Copa Kola Román-Davivienda, with seven brand-new teams from different departments of Colombia. In 1994, it returned to a fully professional format, with Caimanes, Vaqueros, and Rancheros returning from the previous era as well as a new team, Tigres, based in Cartagena.
The league added two teams for the 2010–11 season, both in non-traditional baseball markets in the country's central regions: Potros, based in Medellín, and Águilas, based in the capital of Bogotá. Additionally, the Toros moved from Sincelejo to Cali for economic reasons. These changes were reversed in the 2012–13 season, after Toros moved back to Sincelejo and the two expansion teams folded.
The league again added two new expansion teams for the 2019–2020 season: Gigantes de Barranquilla and Vaqueros de Montería. Vaqueros went on to become league champions in their inaugural season. They would also become the first team to represent Colombia in the Caribbean Series, after the LPB made its debut in the tournament's 2020 edition (replacing the Cuban National Series, which could appear due to visa issues).
After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the LPB established a "bubble" format for the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons, with all games being played in Barranquilla. The pandemic also saw both Leones and Toros withdraw from the league. Gigantes were expected to fold after the 2021–22 season, but managed to return the next year.
For the 2022–23 season, the league announced it was considering adding an expansion team in Bolívar. This was confirmed in September, when it was announced that the expansion team would be placed in Cartagena. Getsemaní Leones de La Trinidad, founded in 1933 as an amateur team, had petitioned to join the league for over a year, but their entrance was delayed by COVID-19. However, before the start of the season, the league announced that both Getsemaní and Gigantes would not play due to financial difficulties; instead, Toros returned after a two-year absence, keeping the league at four teams. In 2023, the league announced that Leones and Gigantes would return for the 2023–24 season, bringing the number of teams back to six.
Teams and stadiums Four teams from the country's Caribbean region compete in the league.
Team City Stadium Capacity Founded Caimanes de Barranquilla Barranquilla, Atlántico Estadio Édgar Rentería 12,000 1984 Toros de Sincelejo Sincelejo, Sucre Estadio 20 de Enero 10,000 2003 Tigres de Cartagena Cartagena, Bolívar Estadio Once de Noviembre 12,000 1994 Vaqueros de Montería Montería, Córdoba Estadio 18 de Junio 7,300 1984
Former teams Leones de Barranquilla (2023-25) Gigantes de Barranquilla (2019–2022) Potros de Medellín (2010–2011) Águilas de Bogotá (2010–2011) Willard de Barranquilla (1953–1983) Vanytor de Barranquilla (1953–1958) Torices de Cartagena (1948–1988) Indios de Cartagena (1948–2017)
League structure The league is organized by the Colombian Professional Baseball Division (Diprobéisbol), under the auspices of the Colombian Baseball Federation. The season is played from October to January.LCBP Official Site http://teamrenteria.info/teamrenteria/Joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1148&Itemid=262 The top four teams at the end of the regular season, a first round robin phase of 50 games per team, advance to another round-robin (12 games for every team) with the two best teams contesting a best-of-seven final series to determine the league champion.
The league was previously owned by the Renteria Foundation, an organization run by former Major League Baseball shortstop Édgar Rentería. Its president was Édinson Rentería (brother of Édgar), whose management of the league was controversial. Rentería was eventually replaced as the league's administrator by Pedro Salcedo Salom, causing a dispute that has been cited as an issue preventing Colombia's entry to the CPBC.
Players such as former Major League Baseball shortstop Orlando Cabrera have owned teams.
International competition In 2004, the Colombian Professional Baseball League was provisionally accepted into the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation (CPBC). However, the league was not allowed to participate in the Caribbean Series until the level of play and the quality of baseball facilities improved.
LPB first participated in the Caribbean Series in 2020, and appeared in four editions of the tournament until 2023. In the 2022 Caribbean Series, Caimanes became the first Colombian team to win the championship, defeating the Dominican Republic's Gigantes del Cibao. Despite this victory, controversy ensued when the Colombian league was again denied full membership into the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation (CPBC).
On April 22, 2023, it was announced that LPB would not participate in the 2024 Caribbean Series; it was dropped from the tournament along with Cuba's Elite League and Panama's PROBEIS league. The Colombian Baseball Federation said that the league refused to pay a $200,000 participation fee to enter as a guest, alleging that it had previously been promised full membership into the CPBC. Instead, the league champion was slated to participate in a new Intercontinental Series organized by the Team Rentería Foundation, to take place in Barranquilla in January 2024; however, that tournament was ultimately canceled
Champions +Key†Champions also won the Caribbean Series that seasonChampions also won the Latin American Series that season
Season Champion Record FinalSeries Runners up Manager 1948 Indios de Cartagena 11–7 – Filtta de Barranquilla Juan González Cornet 1949 Filtta de Barranquilla 20–6 – Torices de Cartagena Rafael Alvarado 1950 Indios de Cartagena 32–17 – Cerveza Águila de Barranquilla Juan González Cornet 1951 Filtta de Barranquilla 18–12 – Indios de Cartagena Gil Garrido Sr. 1952 Indios de Cartagena 29–13 – Hit de Barranquilla Juan González Cornet 1953 Torices de Cartagena 18–33 – Willard de Barranquilla Pedro Pagés 1953–54 Torices de Cartagena 34–26 – Indios de Cartagena Pedro Pagés 1954–55 Willard de Barranquilla 41–24 – Torices de Cartagena Spud Chandler 1955–56 Indios de Cartagena 33–32 – Vanytor de Barranquilla Gaspar del Monte 1956–57 Kola Román de Cartagena 37–29 – Willard de Barranquilla Frank Scalzi 1957–58 Vanytor de Barranquilla 35–25 – Hit de Barranquilla Ted NarleskiNo professional baseball from 1958 to 1979 1979–80 Indios de Cartagena 18–32 4–2 Torices de Cartagena José Martínez 1980–81 Indios de Cartagena 34–26 4–3 Olímpica de Barranquilla Rigoberto Mendoza 1981–82 Café Universal de Barranquilla 31–25 4–2 Cerveza Águila de Barranquilla José Martínez 1982–83 Café Universal de Barranquilla 39–25 4–3 Willard de Barranquilla José Martínez 1983–84 Cerveza Águila de Barranquilla 39–21 4–3 Torices de Cartagena Carlos Alfonso 1984–85 Caimanes de Barranquilla 38–22 4–2 Indios de Cartagena José Tartabull 1987–88 Indios de Cartagena 29–20 4–1 Rancheros de Sincelejo Curtis WallaceNo professional baseball from 1988 to 1993 1993–94 Phillips Atlántico – 4–0 Pilsen Antioquia Boris Villa 1994–95 Caimanes de Barranquilla 22–14 4–2 Tigres de Cartagena Tomás Soto 1995–96 Tigres de Cartagena 23–24 4–2 Caimanes de Barranquilla Jolbert Cabrera 1996–97 Rancheros de Sincelejo 30–17 4–1 Cerveza Águila de Barranquilla José Tartabull 1997–98 Caimanes de Barranquilla 18–13 4–1 Indios de Cartagena Édinson Rentería 1998–99 Caimanes de Barranquilla 17–7 4–2 Indios de Cartagena Édinson Rentería 1999–00 Vaqueros de Barranquilla 13–14 4–2 Indios de Cartagena Noé Maduro 2000–01 season canceled due to financial concerns 2001–02 Eléctricos de Barranquilla 20–10 4–1 Caimanes de Barranquilla Noé Maduro 2002–03 Eléctricos de Barranquilla 22–14 4–1 Aguila de Cartagena Brent Bowers 2003–04 Tigres de Cartagena 16–14 4–2 Leones de Cartagena Bill Madlock 2004–05 Tigres de Cartagena 13–17 4–3 Toros de Sincelejo Bill Madlock 2005–06 Tigres de Cartagena 17–13 4–1 Caimanes de Barranquilla Néder Horta 2006–07 Tigres de Cartagena 28–26 4–0 Caimanes de Barranquilla Néder Horta 2007–08 Caimanes de Barranquilla 33–20 4–0 Indios de Cartagena Walter Miranda 2008–09 Caimanes de Barranquilla 28–25 4–3 Leones de Montería Walter Miranda 2009–10 Caimanes de Barranquilla 30–24 4–2 Leones de Montería Boris Villa 2010–11 season canceled due to weather conditions 2011–12 Toros de Sincelejo 25–17 5–3 Leones de Montería Néder Horta 2012–13 Caimanes de Barranquilla 26–16 4–2 Tigres de Cartagena Wilson Valera 2013–14 Tigres de Cartagena 32–9 4–1 Leones de Montería Donaldo Méndez 2014–15 Leones de Montería 20–22 4–1 Caimanes de Barranquilla Luis Urueta 2015–16 Caimanes de Lorica 26–16 4–2 Leones de Montería Luis Urueta 2016–17 Leones de Montería 22–19 4–2 Toros de Sincelejo Jair Fernández 2017–18 Leones de Montería 24–18 4–3 Toros de Sincelejo Jair Fernández 2018–19 Caimanes de Barranquilla 29–12 4–1 Toros de Sincelejo Fred Ocasio 2019–20 Vaqueros de Montería 21–19 4–1 Gigantes de Barranquilla Ozney Guillén 2020–21 Caimanes de Barranquilla 13–11 4–3 Vaqueros de Montería José Mosquera 2021–22 Caimanes de Barranquilla † 23–13 4–1 Vaqueros de Montería José Mosquera 2022–23 Vaqueros de Montería 27–15 4–1 Tigres de Cartagena Ronald Ramírez 2023–24 Caimanes de Barranquilla 26–15 4–1 Vaqueros de Montería José Mosquera 2024–25 Caimanes de Barranquilla 26–12 4–3 Vaqueros de Montería José Mosquera 2025–26 Caimanes de Barranquilla 19–11 4–1 Tigres de Cartagena Jaime del Valle
Championships by team RankTeamWinsYears1Caimanes de Barranquilla151984–85, 1994–95, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–262Indios de Cartagena71948, 1950, 1952, 1955–56, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1987–883Tigres de Cartagena61995–96, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2013–144Leones de Montería32014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18 5Filtta de Barranquilla21949, 1951Willard de Barranquilla1953, 1954–55Café Universal de Barranquilla1981–82, 1982–83Eléctricos de Barranquilla2001–02, 2002–03Vaqueros de Montería2019-20, 2022–23 9Torices de Cartagena11953–54Rancheros de Sincelejo1996–97Kola Román de Cartagena1956–57Vanytor de Barranquilla1957–581983–84Vaqueros de Barranquilla1999–00Toros de Sincelejo2011–12Phillips-Atlántico1993–94
Notes
References
External links Official website