U23 Baseball 2026: Meet the National Championship’s Most Valuable Players

Jean Carrillo, Dereck Gómez and Héctor Rayo received the top individual honors from Panama’s III U23 National Baseball Championship. The Panamanian Baseball Federation announced Carrillo as Manager of the Year, Gómez as Pitcher of the Year and Rayo as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Carrillo guided Panamá Metro to the best win-loss record in the regular season, the benchmark used for the voting. The Metropolitan manager, who also played for Darién in senior baseball, was selected by Fedebeis’ Technical Commission and Board of Directors.

Right-hander Gómez earned the pitching award after a dominant tournament. He finished with a 4-0 record, a 0.79 earned-run average, 23 strikeouts, 34.2 innings and a 0.88 WHIP.

Rayo, a shortstop from Bocas del Toro, played a decisive role in Chiriquí Occidente’s qualification. He hit .393, collecting 11 hits in 28 at-bats, drove in nine runs, hit four doubles and added a home run. The federation recognized his contributions on both offense and defense.

The three winners and the tournament’s other statistical leaders will receive their awards on Saturday, September 5, at Mariano Rivera Stadium. The ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m., before the third game of the final between Chiriquí Occidente and Panamá Oeste, scheduled for 7 p.m. The series is tied at one win apiece.