Cardenales de Lara Complete Import Roster with World Baseball Classic Pitcher Abdiel Mendoza

Abdiel Mendoza Completes Cardenales de Lara Foreigner Quota for LVBP Season

The team announced the signing of Panamanian right-hander Abdiel Mendoza as its final foreign player for the upcoming 2026-2027 Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (LVBP) season.

Mendoza arrives in Venezuela after pitching in Double-A for the Seattle Mariners during the 2026 season, where he posted a 4-2 record and a 6.55 ERA across 34 and one-third innings. He allowed 25 earned runs, issued 11 walks, and struck out 31 batters. The right-hander also brings international experience from the World Baseball Classic, where he made two relief appearances for Panama, allowing no hits, striking out one batter, and walking one across one and two-thirds innings. He also played in the World Baseball Classic with Panama.

Mendoza Brings Winter League Experience to the Rotation

Team management emphasized that Mendoza’s versatility as both a starter and a reliever factored heavily into his recruitment. Con su firma, cerramos de manera oficial nuestra cuota de importados para esta temporada», added Yépez.

Mendoza completes a foreign contingent that features right-handed pitchers Christian Cosby, Scott Engler, Florencio Serrano, Roman Angelo, and James González, alongside outfielder Spencer Packard and veteran Cuban infielder Rangel Ravelo. Among them, González also pitched for Panama in the World Baseball Classic, while Angelo and González reached Triple-A affiliates in the United States during the 2026 season.

Ravelo Returns for Ninth Season in Barquisimeto

Cuban infielder Rangel Ravelo returns to Cardenales de Lara for his ninth LVBP campaign, extending his record as the foreign player with the most seasons in the Venezuelan circuit. Ravelo first arrived in Venezuela in 2015 as a Cuban import hired to reinforce Cardenales de Lara. His winter league career has also passed through the Dominican Republic, where he wore the uniforms of Leones del Escogido and Águilas Cibaeñas, expanding a career closely related to Caribbean professional baseball. At the start of the 2025-2026 season, he accumulated with Lara an offensive line of .331/.440/.499 in 262 regular-season games, with 31 home runs and 167 runs batted in.

Ravelo joined several domestic players at the Estadio Antonio Herrera Gutiérrez in Barquisimeto during the team’s early pre-season workouts. The fourth day of training also brought utility players Yonny Hernández, Jeckson Flores, and Carlos Rojas, alongside pitchers Máximo Castillo, Gustavo Rodríguez, and Yujanyer Herrera. This Tuesday, the Red Birds received the additions of Kendeglys Virgüez (RHP), Carlos Jiménez (RHP), and Cruz Noriega (RHP), three arms who are available for the larenses’ bullpen.

Pre-Season Workouts Underway at Estadio Antonio Herrera Gutiérrez

Acting manager Nelson Prada directed the club’s fourth practice session while awaiting the arrival of manager César Izturis. Prada, who earned Minor League Double-A Manager of the Year honors in 2026, outlined the team’s initial objectives for the upcoming campaign. «Tenemos un compromiso con la afición.

The Thursday session featured the team’s first live batting practice (live BP) sessions. Pitchers Máximo Castillo, Leonardo Pestana, Edgar Navarro, Luis Carrasco, Vicente Campos, and left-hander Yofrec Díaz each threw approximately 20 pitches against team hitters. Cardenales continued morning workouts at the Barquisimeto venue following the arrivals. Barquisimeto-born pitcher Ken Virgüez declared Estar aquí me hace sentir bien, in what may be his opportunity to debut in the LVBP. The infielder Yonny Hernández valued his return to the twilight nest after completing an outstanding performance in Mexican baseball: Cardenales se convirtió en mi familia.