Puerto Rico has named their manager for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, and it’s a famous former player.
Yadier Molina, who was a 10-time All-Star during his playing career, is set to manage the team for his home country.
Yadier Molina has been named Team Puerto Rico's manager for the 2026 World Baseball Classic! pic.twitter.com/kNrANHEFFA
— MLB (@MLB) June 18, 2025
The 42-year-old former catcher was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. He made his MLB debut in 2004 and retired in 2022.
Molina played all 19 of his MLB seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was a 10-time All-Star, 9-time Gold Glove winner, 4-time Platinum Glove winner, Silver Slugger winner, and a two-time World Series champion.
Molina represented Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017 as a catcher. He got involved as a manager handling Puerto Rico’s U-23 team in 2018. Since retiring, Molina has managed in both the Venezuelan and Puerto Rican leagues. He also managed the Puerto Rican team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
