San Diego Padres owners José E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones, visited the IPL Academy complex in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, on Friday to meet with players and staff of the Puerto Rico national baseball team during the U-18 Pan American Championship, according to the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation. The delegation is competing in the official qualifying tournament for the 2027 U-18 Baseball World Cup in China.
Boca Chica Visit Brings Major League Owners to the Pan American Grounds
Feliciano, a Puerto Rican investor and Major League Baseball club owner, arrived at the Dominican Republic training complex alongside Jones to observe the national youth delegation. Wearing a cap emblazoned with the letters “PR,” Feliciano watched the squad in action and spoke directly with players, coaches, and administrative personnel.
“I’m really happy, excited—very excited—to be here in the Dominican Republic watching the Puerto Rican team. They’ve already won two games, and I’m very excited to be here,” Feliciano stated during his appearance at the facility.
Following tournament play on Friday, both owners gathered with the roster and coaching staff for photographs. Feliciano addressed a group of young prospects regarding their athletic futures, offering a direct encouragement to the roster. “God willing, we’ll see you at Petco Park someday,” he told the players, referencing the home stadium of the San Diego Padres.
Group C Standings Shift After Friday’s Split Results
Puerto Rico posted a 1-1 record on Friday in the second round of the continental tournament, bringing its overall record to 2-1 and tying Panama for first place in Group C. The team opened the day by finishing a game against Canada that had been suspended Thursday evening due to darkness in the bottom of the fifth inning.
When play resumed Friday, Puerto Rico preserved its advantage to secure a 5-2 victory over Canada through seven innings. Dariel Carrión paced the offense by driving in two runs, while pitcher Saúl Maldonado earned the victory after throwing six and two-thirds innings. Maldonado surrendered just two hits and two runs, of which only one was earned.
In the second matchup of the day, Puerto Rico dropped its first contest of the tournament in a 4-2 defeat against Panama. Panamanian batters capitalized in the bottom of the sixth inning with two decisive runs to seize control. Puerto Rico had initially claimed a lead in the top of the first inning when Valentín Carrasquillo scored on a wild pitch, followed by a fielder’s choice grounder off the bat of Nelson Molina that allowed Fabián Rodríguez to cross the plate. Jaim Ferreira absorbed the pitching loss for Puerto Rico, while César Berríos claimed the win for Panama.
Tournament Context and the Road to China 2027
The U-18 Pan American Championship gathers 11 national teams in Boca Chica to determine which countries advance toward the global stage. The tournament acts as the official qualifier for the 2027 U-18 Baseball World Cup in China, awarding four qualification berths to the top-performing national teams.
Group C play concludes on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. local time when Puerto Rico faces Canada in a final opening-round fixture. The top two teams in the group standings advance directly to the tournament’s super round.
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